See the horses, have a flutter and revel in nice slap-up dinners on the Hipódromo de la Zarzuela – a winner for households & mates! Elliot Pigot goes exploring Madrid´s very personal racing mecca.
Last Saturday night time I headed to the horse racing on the Hipódromo de la Zarzuela for the primary of a number of particular occasions celebrating 100 years of GP in Madrid. On arrival I used to be instantly in awe of the simplistic modernist model of predominant stands that overlook the pristinely stored racetrack turf. After grabbing a drink at one of many many outside bars I headed to position a guess on the primary race.
I’ve by no means been too involved with kind and have all the time chosen my horses on names, which was simple utilizing the nicely designed free programme on provide. There have been greater than sufficient locations to position your bets and the ambiance was much more relaxed than the pre-race craziness in thr UK. I wore a full go well with however shortly realised I used to be overdressed as the one different particular person I noticed sporting a tie was a horse proprietor, surveying his horse together with the punters as they have been paraded across the paddock earlier than the primary race.
As a tune performed to sign the beginning of the primary race, spectators headed to a wide range of totally different spots to observe the motion start. Being English, I opted for the shaded space of one of many 3 predominant stands because the temperature remained excessive all through the Spanish spring night (just like a sizzling British summers day!). You get an actual sense of stepping again in time, the Nineteen Thirties model stand presenting the right raised view of the solar drenched racetrack because the horses shot out of the beginning gate to the cheers of the expectant crowd of all ages.
Those who don’t have binoculars can watch the motion on an enormous display simply behind the monitor as they wait for his or her horses to return down the ultimate furlong in entrance of them. If like me you might be fortunate sufficient to choose a winner, you get to observe your horse and jockey have a good time within the winners circle. Throughout the night time there have been 6 races, various in size from 1,100m to 2300m, the spotlight being a 1,100 dash received by Borja Fayos on Antonella who showboated by standing on his horse as he headed to gather his trophy and the very best prize cash of the night time.
If not claiming your winnings or selecting your subsequent horse in between races there are a wide array of meals vehicles providing meals from everywhere in the world and bars that will help you spend your winnings or to drown your sorrows. Those wishing to broaden their summer time wardrobes can even browse a number of eclectic garments stands with chilled home music taking part in within the background.
Just because the solar had set on the ultimate race, the night leisure obtained underway with a mesmerising efficiency by Santo Serra, aka the Spanish horse whisperer. He had the group within the palm of his hand as he obtained his Arabian horses performing methods to the mesmerised viewers. After he had enthralled the group everybody headed to a Flamenco music live performance and those that had the stamina danced to 80s and 90s hits carried out by ‘The Today Band’ until nicely after midnight.
Whether you need a enjoyable household time out or a special expertise with a gaggle of mates I might extremely advocate a time out on the Hipódromo, particularly throughout one in all this 12 months’s particular occasions, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a relaxed night of racing and leisure with out the pomp and stuffiness generally related to the races within the UK.
WHEN TO GO
Race conferences are each Thursday & Saturday from June thirteenth to August tenth. Further data might be discovered on www.hipodromodelazarzuela.es
