Sportsbook Guardian

Four Quality Courses at a Quality Course!

After waxing lyrical about Fontwell’s restaurant in a review blog on Saturday I could be taken for always writing positive reports as yesterday I had a brilliant meal at Towcester. However rest assured I try to be objective and do try to call it as I receive it, as readers of my more negative review of Plumpton’s restaurant will see. When I get some time I have some photos and a review of Huntingdon to put up also.
 

First (and not last visit)

Even though a surprisingly short 1hr 20mins from my North London base it was my first visit up to Towcester and it certainly won’t be the last. Coming from the Capital the best bet is to motor up the M1, though I took the scenic route along the A5 as wanted to see a bit of countryside. Whizzed through Dunstable which brought back memories of visiting Spreadex when the spread firm had an office there.

Towcester were doing free entry on the day we visited (something they do for 80% of meetings) and there was a great atmosphere with the cold wind certainly not looking to have dissuaded the crowds from appearing. The Grand stands are all modern and it is obvious that a lot of investment has gone into the track.
 

Empress Suite Restaurant.

We ate in the Empress Suite restaurant, and the four(+1) course meal set me back £69 a head, with a few soft drinks on top running up an extra £8.

Was it worth the £150 for the two of us? In a word: Yes.

The room was bright and breezy (literally when the balcony door was open!) with well laid tables and a cracking view down onto the home straight.

I was impressed that the menu only had two options for the main courses, these being the vegetarian or standard. I like restaurants that do not spread themselves too thinly, especially when it is a racetrack that is catering for multiple dinners.

To start with we had salmon and Crayfish salad with caper sauce, and for the main we enjoyed the Parma ham wrapped pork of which we got two chunky slices of succulent meat adorned with a nicely herbed red wine jus. Accompanying the main were my favourite dauphinoise potatoes along with a fresh tasting pea mash.

By the time desert arrived we were very contented and the pudding was of a similarly high standard to the mains, if anything I would probably have preferred something a smidgeon less dainty. However in cold National Hunt weather I have a preconditioning for stodgy puddings! My wife loved this course, and cheekily asked the waitress if they could magic a second round of deserts! The kind waitress actually offered to procure us an extra one, but in the spirit of January dieting, and after much debating we declined this generous offer!

Alongside coffee we were delivered three substantial cheeses with plump and fresh grapes. The cheddar was the best of the three, with the soft blue and camembert falling behind in the taste stakes. Later that afternoon we were also presented with two giant and evidently freshly baked scones, presented with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Just what I needed to cheer myself up with after a mixed (read losing) afternoon’s betting.
 

Service very good

The service was very friendly throughout, from the gentleman who showed us to our seat, Ben the Ladbrokes rep, and the helpful waitresses. The only slight tip I would give them would be to ask a few more times if coffee and tea refills were required. The service is a crucial part of a trip out at the races, and Towcester scored really highly in making us feel very welcome and looked after.

As stated above, I will definately be back, both to eat in the restaurant and also as a racegoer. Their free entry seemed a great success and the track was eveidently very popular. I am looking forward to my next visit, hopefully this may be Thursday the 2nd.
 

Mixed punting with Bet365 mobile

I had mainly punted on Bet365′s mobile app, and despite getting out of jail with a 11/1 saver in the Hunter Chase (thanks to Andrew for the tip) didn’t finish ahead. The market didn’t go my way for Miss Milborne for whom I had taken 13/8 in the morning (I put most of the bets on before ordering so didn’t preoccupy my Wife’s time with constant punting!) and it was freely available at 2/1 and even 9/4 in the ring before winning at an SP price the same as what I took in the morning. Two of my bets came second (Spot the Ball, Bygones Sovereign) and we had a few muggy e/w doubles and trebles running onto Galway Lad in the curtain dropper. I watched in dismay as it led for most of the race, jumping like a stag throughout, before starting to tire in the final quarter and just getting done for third in the dieing strides. The stamina sapping run-in at Towcester is not to be underestimed and like at Sandown, Cheltenham and Fontwell it can make for exciting finishes.
 

Related Pages:

• Fontwell Park Restaurant Review – Excellent
• Huntingdon Restaurant Review – Tasty Lamb!
• Plumpton Racecourse Restaurant Review: Poor
• Sandown Racecourse Restaurant Review – Average
• Ascot Dress Code – Sort it out!