Midlands Racing Club

Welcome to the Midlands Racing Club page. 
Last update was 8 March 2010.
 
The Club is 24 years old this year and the current President is the Racing UK presenter and journalist Lydia Hislop (pictured aside) who took over from Peter Scudamore who was President from 1991 to 2005.


On this page you will find details of the Club's events such as preview shows with top quality guests, stable visits, competitions and much more.

There is a monthly newsletter which contains details of the Club's events so even if you cannot make the Preview shows, you can still enjoy the articles, competitions etc included in the newsletter.

A stable visit to the yard of Richard Ford has been organised for the 20th March 2010. Full details will be included in the March newsletter.

This years' preview takes place on Thursday 11 March 2010 and will again be held at The Barn Social Club, Brookvale Road, Witton, Birmingham.
 
The panel is Lydia Hislop and Steve Mellish from Racing UK, Stuart Machin from Channel 4 Racing, Andy Gibson and Sam Turner {Robin Goodfellow} in the Daily Express who have me one of my best Cheltenham wins with Upgrade at 33/1 in the Triumph Hurdle.
 
Tony Calvin from Betfair was originally de to attend but we have been able to draft in a more than capable replacement in the ever popular Andy Gibson.

Please see below the Midlands Racing Club newsletter which gives full details of the guests confirmed to date and auction prizes etc. Updates will be put on this page in due course. 
 
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THE JENNINGSBET/BETTER GRAND NATIONAL NIGHT
Tuesday 6^th April, 7.15pm for 7.45pm

At the Stirchley United Working Mens Club, Hazelwell Lane, Birmingham

We have a new sponsor for our Grand National Preview night - leading independent bookmaker JENNINGSBET/BETTER.
JenningsBet, who have recently completed a merger with fellow independent Better's chain, giving them a portfolio of more than 70 shops, is jointly managed by brothers Greg and Julian Knight, who have given their full support to what is sure to be another great evening.

We cannot yet confirm - and are crossing fingers tightly - but we are hopeful that the 'Voice of Racing' SIR PETER O'SULLEVAN will be joining us for the evening.
What makes this all the more significant is that 2010 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the first BBC-televised Grand National, won by Merryman II, whose rider GERRY SCOTT will also be present at our preview.

So far, the most Grand National-winning jockeys we have been able to assemble on one night is five, in 2008, so we are aiming to go at least one better this year.
 
Among them will be MARCUS ARMYTAGE, who won on Mr Frisk exactly twenty years ago, and STEVE KNIGHT, rider of 1987 winner Maori Venture. As always, there will be a plethora of familiar faces in the audience, plus a few new ones too.

Ever-popular MRC panellist ANDY GIBSON will be on hand to preview Aintree's major races and we can guarantee a few surprises along the way. 

We won't know for certain whether or not Sir Peter will be able to attend until after the Cheltenham Festival, so we'll be making full use of our website www.crottly.co.uk courtesy of Crottly himself, a.k.a. Martin Nott, to keep you bang up to date regarding this fabulous night. Full details will also appear in April's On The Line, which should hopefully drop through your letterboxes at the start of the month.

As mentioned previously, we will be combining the evening with a silent auction, comprising a varied selection of racing-related 'money can't buy' items. Except of course, in this case money can buy them, so don't forget your chequebook.

The Grand National Preview is always the MRC's most enjoyable night of the year and this one promises to be a real gem. Make sure you are there.

Cost: Members £2.00                                    Non-Members £5.00

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD ON THE NIGHT

 
AUCTION ITEMS

We currently have the following auction items (reserve prices in brackets)

·         Morning on the gallops for two people with Paul Nicholls (Reserve £250)

·         Morning on the gallops for two people and breakfast with Alan King (Reserve £200)

·         Day behind the scenes for four people with the BBC Racing team on 'King George' day, 24 July - includes admission courtesy of Ascot Racecourse (Reserve £300)

·         Private tour for six people of Weatherbys, the administrative hub of racing - lunch included (Reserve £200 - individual bids will be accepted, reserve £35 per person)

·         Day for one person with senior handicapper Phil Smith - includes joining him at the races plus an insight at how he frames a handicap (Reserve £100)

·         Private tour for two people of Newmarket's gallops with former top NH jockey Ian Watkinson (Reserve £75)

·         Copies of 'Sea The Stars' and 'Arkle' - books to be signed and dedicated on the night by author Sean Magee (Reserve £40)

·         Copy of 'Turn Me On Guv' - book to be signed and dedicated on the night by author Marcus Armytage (Reserve £20)

·         Signed copy of Sir Peter O'Sullevan's 'Horse Racing Heroes' (Reserve £20)

Further items may well be added to this list. See our website www.crottly.co.uk for up-to-date auction details.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to attend on the night but wish to register a bid for any of the above items, you can do so by contacting Chris Pitt, either by letter or by email no later than Monday 5^th April.                                                                            
 
The address is: 15 Cross Farm Road,
Harborne, Birmingham, B17 0NB. The email address is mskpitt@btinternet.com