Horse racecourses are much more prominent in space than other types of racecourses like bicycle racing and motorcycle racing. That makes it easier for the inner areas of the racecourses to be converted for different purposes. In fact, some of Japan’s horse racecourses use them as parking lots and playgrounds for children. And you see exceptional ways of use in some horse racecourses.
When I visited a horse racecourse in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2018, I was amazed by a golf course in the inner area of the racecourse. It was a precious experience to see a middle-aged gentleman accompanying a caddie hitting a ball on a narrow course. I imagined that he would feel as if he had been a professional golfer shooting in front of crowds in the stands, even if they weren’t interested in him playing golf.
In Japan, the Kasamatsu horse racecourse has not just a paddock but also fields for rice and vegetables and even a cemetery in the inner areas. People say that most of the racecourse’s properties are privately owned.
Apart from the inner areas of the racetrack, some racecourses have casinos in their stands. I found a bunch of slot machines in the Hastings’ stands in Vancouver, Canada, and Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. What an exciting moment it was to fill the time between races and keep myself indulged in various types of gambling all day long!
A golf course inside the racecourse of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC)