Every customer is gold dust? You wouldn't think it from racecourses' behaviour

To steal a line on racegoers from Barry Hearn, who knows a lot more about sports promotion than I do – and seemingly a lot more than most people running racecourses – "If you don't take the mickey out of them, and give them value for money and entertainment that puts a smile on their face, then they'll stay loyal."

So why – judging by the Racing Post postbag – do so many tracks manage to put a scowl on the face of racegoers, people who have elected to spend their hard-earned on an enjoyable day out following their chosen sport?

From cashless bars manned by untrained staff, to overpriced beer, to uncompetitive fields, to overzealous security searches for Class A drugs or home-made sandwiches, to entrance fee hikes, racegoers have found plenty of topics on which to voice their dissatisfaction.