Swedish Racing - the head of Taby Galopp suggests inner-city racing

By Geir Stabell
First Published: 05 March 2010 - Issue Number: 29

Imagine a handful of race meetings every summer in Richmond Park in London or Central Park in New York, writes Geir Stabell, on turf strips that have simply been rented by the racing authorities, to show off the sport to a wider audience. A sort of a science fiction idea, far removed from the realities of horseracing? Not necessarily.

Täby Galopp, the principal of three racecourses in Sweden, sits less than 20 km from the centre of the capital Stockholm, and is thus closer to the heart of the nation than most other racecourses in Europe.
Still, plans are in motion to move the racecourse. These are both fascinating and interesting plans, based on new ideas, as Täby Galopp’s new managing director Dag Johansson explains: “We may one day have one venue right in the middle of the city, for three to four big events per year, supported by a ‘bread and butter’ venue further away from the city. On a weekly basis, horseracing is no longer a spectator sport and I believe we could simply rent land for our principal events, the days when we hope to attract those 20,000 people through the turnstiles. That is never a realistic option for our average racedays, so why build a new course with facilities to cater for such numbers?”
So, there you have it folks! Here is an altogether new way of thinking. If small racing nations cannot justify the costs of a big arena, perhaps one should look at other alternatives.
“You see, the average raceday at Täby Galopp attracts no more than between 200 and 300 fans, normally including all the connections of participating horses”, Johansson explains, “and our racecourse was built in 1960, with a stand capacity of 10,000 plus. There is hardly ever any need for this building nowadays.”
In addition, the building in question is ageing and not as inviting as once was the case.
Johansson goes on: “Täby Galopp is badly in need of refurbishing but which is the best way to spend our money? Hardly on a course with a permanent stand and facilities for 10,000, when our average crowds are in the low hundreds. What we need is a new permanent course that is functional for the horses and the horsemen and women, a thoroughbred centre both useful for racing and training, while accommodating the off track betting.”
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