Ms Joan Widger:

As a young person, I grew up with racing and it is second nature for me to go racing every weekend. At racecourses, significant headway has been made through the packages provided - one can get a free beverage, sometimes a free bet, included in the price of admission. Ladies' day, for example, could be more interactive with actual racing so the social racegoer could learn more about the horses involved. A person might follow a horse that wins on ladies' day throughout the year. That person might make a point of attending the next race meeting at which such a horse is running. It would be useful if the race day was more about racing than other things.

Student days have become popular over the years but, again, such ideas could focus more on racing than social aspects. Tours could be conducted of the weigh room and a mechanical horse competition on a race day could help students remember the racing and the horses, rather than the fun at the bar. Students should be encouraged to continue attending race meetings after they finish college.

Some tracks are making great headway on facilities but others are being left behind. When my friends attend a small track with an uncomfortable bar on a winter's day they tend not to return to racing. Significant investment has been made in other sports and they may offer more comfort to spectators than racing.