Football/Racing: A Day at the Races

THE opening day of the new race season at Wincanton Racecourse yesterday was a big success and also revealed some unexpected talents among some of the jockeys.

A party from Yeovil Town FC – including many of the club’s npower League One footballers – were in attendance for the start of the 2012-13 season and midway through the afternoon they challenged some of the jockeys to a game of “keepie uppy” where they have to keep the ball off the ground.

The competition took place in the parade ring and starring for the Glovers were Gavin Williams, Keanu Marsh-Brown and team captain Jamie McAllister.

But the professional footballers were slightly outshone by the racing trio of Daryl Jacob, Joe Tizzard and the legendary AP McCoy.

Jacob, the 2012 Grand National winning jockey, was inspired form with the ball, although he admitted feeling more comfortable in the saddle rather than at the centre of attention for his footballing skills.

The footballers were at the racecourse to help promote the Glovers’ new initiative to distribute more than 1,000 Kids Go Free tickets to local schools running its soccer coaching courses and all of its development centres.

There was a good crowd at Wincanton for the opening day of the racing season with people young and old.

A party of students from King Arthur’s School, Wincanton, were at the racecourse for the Racing to School group - a free education programme run for pupils and students of all ages at racecourses across the UK.  The programme’s lively approach supports children in a range of National Curriculum subjects and sparks knowledge and understanding of the sport of horseracing.  Racing to School is delivered by the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust  which can be found at www.bhest.co.uk .

Children from King Arthur’s Community College in Wincanton were using the unique facilities on the racecourse during their Racing to School day today to practise their maths and science skills.  Pupils explored weights and measures in the weighing room, measured the perimeter of the parade ring and looked at the height and spread of the fences to calculate just how far a horse has to jump.  The children then got to watch the first race, which for many in the group was their first ever experience of a live horserace.

BHEST’s lead education officer Ollie McPhail said, “Racing to School takes over 10,000 children a year on a unique educational experience at their local racecourse, stud or trainer’s yard.  The programme helps to bring school subjects out of the classroom and make learning more fun.

“The pupils from King Arthur’s were really excited to see behind the scenes at Wincanton Racecourse today and they’ve all taken away a Racing to School Activity Workbook so they can keep putting their skills to the test at home and in the classroom.  I’d like to thank all at Wincanton Racecourse for making us and the pupils so welcome.”

Also among the crowds were 1991 World Snooker Champion, John Parrott, himself a massive horse racing fan, and the racing legend that is Richard Pitman.

For photos from yesterday’s Day at the Race at Wincanton – log onto www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2012/10/18/wincanton-races-oct-18-2012/

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