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Newbury Racecourse
The Racecourse
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 7NZ
Telephone: 01635 40015
Fax: 01635 528354
www.newbury-racecourse.co.uk
The opportunity came in a flash to me, the weekend ahead was going to be full of sunshine and we had time and opportunity. What could we do that would get us up, out and enjoying something a little different. A glance through events for the weekend all pointed to nearby Newbury, home of the famous racecourse and they were hosting a two day event. A telephone call later and we were booked in for an afternoon of pleasure, fine food and wines with the opportunity to make some money on well chosen horses carefully selected for their form and promise.
More of that later!
Late April sunshine was more like early August as we drove into the racecourse where the extensive car parks were free to racing enthusiasts. This allowed the fans to dress accordingly, with some wonderful dresses and outfits on view as the sun grew brighter. Collecting our tickets everything was ordered, friendly and highly colourful, with the contrast of the rich green grass of the course and the approaches complemented by the vivid colours of the flowers and plant pots decorating every corner of the extensive course.
We made our way to the Hennessy Restaurant where we had a table bearing our name, this panoramic restaurant is situated on the top floor of the Hampshire Stand offering unrivalled views of the course, and in particular the all important finishing line which appeared to be within touching distance. It is, quite simply, a beautiful place to dine, a real restaurant with style, beautifully decorated and with views over the racecourse, the golf course within the rails and way beyond. The first thing we noticed from our perfect vantage point as we sipped a chilled glass of champagne, was the quiet and unobtrusive arrival of guests in light airplanes and helicopters in the centre of the racetrack, a short distance away from the restaurant. The style of the Hennessy Restaurant was certainly matched by the grandness of the entrance by many of the guests as they left their pilots to enjoy themselves for the afternoon.
The restaurant was under the expert direction of Carlo Paganini, a delightful and charming host who has a lifetime of experience at the highest levels of the culinary industry, his enthusiasm undiluted as he spoke with passion and charm about food, wine and service, and especially how the racing enthusiasts are amongst the most discerning of diners, keeping his large and enthusiastic team on their toes throughout the day. He would make an ideal and entertaining dinner guest, in between his days at Newbury, Ascot and other temples of racing dreams I hope I may have the opportunity of enjoying such an evening with Carlo soon.
Our extensive dining table, neatly decorated, held a few additional items of interest for us, as racing virgins. A professional guide to the meeting, complete with form guide and descriptions was provided, alongside a copy of Silks, a highly interesting official guide to Newbury
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Alan McColm is QFOL's Restaurant Critic and Travel reviewer. Alan is working all over the country ... more
