Kyoto

Dec 13, 2014 - 1 min read

First-Time Visit to a Racecourse

Watching a G1 Race at Kyoto Racecourse

By Masayoshi Hirose

Community writer

Translated by Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

This was my first visit to a racecourse. It was brighter and more spacious than I'd expected.

Kyoto Racecourse is directly connected to a nearby station of Keihan Electric Railway

Refreshing green grass makes a striking contrast with the clear blue autumn sky!

Families with kids and groups of youngsters are either sitting down or lying down on the grass and relaxing in the open space

Just before the race, the horses pass close by during their warm-up exercise

Silence reigns before the race

The horse's smooth coat shines under the sunshine

Staff are lined in front of the gate...are they making a final check before the race begins?

I could feel the tension of his lithe body bracing for the coming race

On November 23rd in 2014, I watched the Mile Championship of the G1 Race at Kyoto Racecourse.

We were a group of four - myself, my wife and our two friends. One of the friends we went with has been working at Hanshin Racecourse as a turf manager for a long time, but he wanted to watch a race once in his lifetime, not as staff but as a spectator, with a betting slip in his hands. However, he didn't want to watch a race at his workplace where he could be recognized by his colleagues. Instead, we chose this place which is located in my hometown Kyoto. What we watched was of course, the G1 Race!

A Dream-Come-True Horse Race Watching 1. First-Time Visit to a Racecourse 2. Hooves Like Thunder in the Blue Sky

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Masayoshi Hirose

By Masayoshi Hirose

Community writer

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Takako Sakamoto

Translated by Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

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