Madrid course: After a €50 million refit to the Hipodromo de la Zarzuela near Madrid, horse racing is to resume tomorrow. Jane Walker reports
It's been nine years since a madrileno could say "let's go to the races!".
There has been no racing in Madrid since the Hipodromo de la Zarzuela closed its gates for the last time in 1996. The picturesque course, only 5 kms from the city centre, became increasingly run-down, shabby and eventually positively dangerous.
"The Zarzuela is a patient in a deep coma and only a miracle will cure it," said one aficionado a few years ago. But the miracle happened, and at 11am tomorrow, after a 50 million refit, the Hipodromo will reopen for business once more.
Ten meetings will be held each Sunday between now and Christmas Day. They will then take a break during the cold weather, when racing will continue in the warmer south, and resume in the spring.
The 1,725-metre grass course has been completely resurfaced, with efficient drainage, electricity, television and phone lines and other services laid underground. Starting boxes were imported from Australia, loose boxes for 550 horses restored and a further 480 will be completed shortly.
One of the first tenants to move in with 25 horses is Galway-born trainer Eddie Creighton, currently Spain's top trainer who lives and works in Mijas, near Malaga. He arrived last week and plans to race in Madrid until Christmas - "Although I don't think they will be seeing me here on Christmas Day," he laughed.
Incidentally, Creighton moved to Spain 15 months ago with his wife and family and now trains 50 horses. His jockeys are Warren O'Connor and Alan Mackay.
The course also includes a 1,500-metre all-weather track, surfaced with a special sand and fibre combination capable of standing up to the scorching Madrid summers where it is hoped to stage floodlit night racing, as well as three training gallops.
Another major investment was the installation of a three-metre high fence around the 110-hectare course, not to keep out gatecrashers but the herds of wild boar who had taken over the land and moles which had dug it up.
The 1930s Hipódromo has been declared a building of historic importance - the two Torroja Stands are considered architectural and engineering masterpieces and are protected buildings.
But they do not conform to today's health and safety regulations, which have forced the new management to build temporary stands until the Ministry of Culture grant licences to modernise the grandstands while still maintaining their architectural features.
Two purpose-built stands, with seating for 2,500 people, have been installed alongside the old ones with grassy terraces leading to the betting halls, members' enclosure, a restaurant and bars .
Although there is ample parking, there will also be a free bus service to and from the city centre on race days for those who do not want to drive - or those who have lost their money and haven't the cash for a taxi ride.
Before it closed nine years ago Madrid hosted 70 per cent of all racing in Spain and 85 per cent of prize-money was won at the Hipodromo. Racing was moribund and remained virtually dead until the courses in Mijas, on the Costa del Sol, emerged five years ago and in Dos Hermanos, near Seville more recently.
The Spanish parliament authorised the reopening of Madrid in 1999, but after several unsuccessful attempts by international organisations to take over the lease, a Spanish company was founded. SEPI, the state industrial holding company, agreed to put up 90 per cent of the capital and LAE, the official Pools and Lottery organisation contributed the remaining 10 per cent.
Spaniards are inveterate lottery fans, with draws daily and weekly, the annual Christmas Gordo "the Fat One" - one of the richest lotteries in the world - as well as other smaller local draws.
But betting on horse racing has not yet entered their blood. Gambling is tightly controlled and no off-course betting is permitted.
As one of the shareholders of the Hipodromo, LAE is reluctant to relinquish any possible profits from racing and they say there are no plans to allow either bookies, as in England and Ireland, or the French-style betting cafes.
This week they announced plans for two weekly equine lotteries - the Lototurf which is a traditional five-number lotto draw with punters only choosing a sixth number as their choice for the winner of a designated race.
Winning numbers will be drawn during the day's racing.
A potentially more lucrative bet will be the Quintuple Plus when the punter marks his choices - again using numbers since few Spaniards are familiar with horses' names - for the five races on each day's card.
There will also be traditional Tote-style on-course betting but only on the day for Madrid and not for races being held in other courses.
As in all Spanish lotteries 55 per cent of the takings will be awarded for prizes (which are tax free), 12 per cent in running costs, 12.5 per cent to the State and the remainder going to racing.
Jesús Evangelio, director general of Lotteries, admitted that the Lototurf was mostly luck, since only one horse had to be chosen. "In the beginning it is an element of educating the public. Few of them have any idea of the leading horses, jockeys and form," he told The Irish Times this week.
Since the sport became moribund it provided fewer and fewer jobs.
The Hipodromo has just opened its own jockeys' school under the guidance of the legendary Claudio Carudel (67), Spain's top jockey for over 30 years.
The free-of-charge course will train not only would-be jockeys and apprentices, but stable lads and trainers in all aspects of caring for and breeding bloodstock. They will also teach farriers, saddle makers and others who make up the sport.
All tickets for tomorrow's meeting have already been sold and the organisers are hopeful they can maintain the momentum for the other nine days of the short season to encourage the racing industry.
As part of this initiative, 24 thoroughbreds from across Europe will go on sale after racing tomorrow and further sales are planned for the future.
In 1990 there were 1,300 horses in training in Spain. Now there are fewer than 700.
"It was a case of now or never. If we didn't start now Spanish bloodstock would die out," says Felipe Gimeno, the course spokesman.
