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It's party time at Sandown - but the bookies aren't celebrating

Sandown racegoers watch on the big screen as England score their second goal
Sandown racegoers watch on the big screen as England score their second goalCredit: Fans

There was a party atmosphere at Sandown as fans cheered England's World Cup quarter-final win over Sweden, although the bookmakers were not among those celebrating.

Racegoers chanted Football's Coming Home as Harry Maguire and Dele Alli netted in the 2-0 win for the Three Lions, but the mood did not extend to the betting ring, with layers complaining turnover was significantly down compared to a normal Coral-Eclipse day.

It may have been a Group 1 Saturday without a cloud in the sky but it was clear the clash with the football had impacted the crowd, with plenty of room to manoeuvre at the track’s flagship Flat meeting.

Sandown showed the first half of the football, which clashed with the penultimate race, in a designated Football Zone in the bowels of the stand and the main Surrey Hall, before the second half was broadcast on all screens across the course.

Chris Ealey, 34, from West Sussex was among those in the Surrey Hall, which was packing quite an atmosphere during a tense first half.

“It’s been a great day,” he said. “The racing has been fantastic, the weather has been fantastic and the event as a whole has been fantastic.

"I was a bit surprised by the turnout, I thought it would be busier, but the Eclipse was awesome and what they’ve done with the football is great.”

Despite racing starting two hours earlier than the norm and the feature Coral-Eclipse being run 50 minutes before kick-off in Samara, bookmakers were pretty fed up with their day’s work come the end of racing.

“It’s been absolutely pathetic,” said bookmaker Peter Houghton closest to the running rail before the last race of the day.

“I bet in this pitch last year and did about 1,000 tickets. I’ve not taken a bet for ten minutes and my last ticket was 252. That’s all day and it’s pathetic.”

He added: “I have two pitches and between them we’ve not taken a fifth of what we took last year and we’re paying the same expenses if not more – and we paid out double on the wrong result yesterday! I think the crowd is massively down and I think it’s kept the proper racing people away.”

Sandown put on a Football Zone, where the first half of the football was screened before the second half was broadcast across the track
Sandown put on a Football Zone, where the first half of the football was screened before the second half was broadcast across the trackCredit: Lewis Porteous

Houghton’s view was not extreme, with Terry Blacktop, trading as TB Racing, among others painting an identical picture.

He said: “Business is a quarter of what it usually is, but what can you do? How often do they make the quarter-final?”

Racegoers in a packed Surrey Hall watch the England game in Samara
Racegoers in a packed Surrey Hall watch the England game in SamaraCredit: Lewis Porteous

The attendance was in the region of 12,000, according to the course, around ten per cent down on last year.

Phil White, regional director for Jockey Club Racecourses London, said: "Everyone's been treated to an afternoon of top-class racing and a historic day for English football. It was a thrilling race, a great match and a fantastic atmosphere all day."


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Published on 7 July 2018inPreviews

Last updated 10:26, 8 July 2018

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