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KING GEORGE & GLORIOUS GOODWOOD
9 Days, 8 Nights (including one en route)
JULY 21 to JULY 29, 2005

3 nights in London, 4 nights near Goodwood
4 days of racing at Newbury and Goodwood
Training area visits in Lambourn and Arundel

Day 1
Thur  July 21
Depart U.S., if not joining the trip from London.
 
Day 2
Fri  July 22
Arrive in London. You will be met at the airport and delivered to our London address, the Draycott Hotel. We will also provide transport to The Draycott from other arrival locations in London. The remainder of the day is free for adjustment and your own activities. At 6PM we will join up for cocktails at the hotel to get collegial and oriented for our week. An easy evening is recommended: we start early tomorrow.

The Draycott Hotel, LondonTHE DRAYCOTT: The graceful, refined Draycott is our London home. Set amid Chelsea and Knightsbridge, amid superb shopping, dining, and walking, the hotel has been adapted from three grand Edwardian townhouses, and has direct access to a private park. Our rooms are very spacious, each with a sitting area, and in many cases a fireplace. Visit www.draycotthotel.com to see more about the hotel. Continental breakfast is included each morning.

 
Day 3
Sat  July 23
We head out at 7AM this morning. Our destination is Berkshire, west of London, and first stop is the town of Lambourn, in the "Valley of the Racehorse". Lambourn has long been associated with the conditioning of Thoroughbreds, and today it's the home base of more than thirty trainers, including several of England's leading lights.

Our host is champion and Derby-winning trainer Peter Walwyn, who will take us around to the gallops and yards and share a little of the area's history with us. Peter and his wife Virginia, who worked alongside him during his training years, will then have us to brunch at Windsor House, their place in Lambourn.

This afternoon: Diamond Day, normally held at Ascot, but this year at Newbury, Berkshire's other major racecourse, while Ascot undergoes renovation. The card is headlined by the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The "King George" is Europe's premier midsummer race, and its list of winners reads like a Who's Who of European racing. One of the things that makes this race so fascinating is that it's often the first time the leading 3-year-olds challenge the best of the older generations. We'll have Members' Enclosure badges at the course.

 
Day 4
Sun  July 24
An OPEN DAY to enjoy London. Relax, sightsee, do some shopping. There is racing today 70 miles northeast of London at Newmarket, also the location of England's largest training center. We can arrange an excursion for those who want to make the trip up.
 
Day 5
Mon  July 25
Late morning we'll check out of The Draycott and make a two-hour coach transfer to the Marriott Goodwood Hotel, our base near Goodwood Racecourse in West Sussex. After arrival and check-in, the rest of the afternoon will be at leisure. There is a pool and fitness center at the hotel, as well as a golf course with rental clubs available while they last. Other choices include a visit to Goodwood House, nearby historic Chichester, or the Festival Theatre, also in Chichester. Golf and the theatre should be planned in advance.

As an alternative: the group may decide to add in, along the way to Goodwood, a visit to Windsor. We'd have a quick look at the famous Castle and at Eton, have an early and light no-host dinner outside by the Thames, then go by boat the last mile upstream to the racecourse and experience one of its signature Monday evening meetings. Atmosphere is everything here: with its riverside location, tall trees, and quirky figure-8 layout, Windsor is a favorite of many despite its lack of major events. We'd catch a few of the early races (first post is about 6PM), then head on to Goodwood. We'd leave The Draycott early afternoon in this case and arrival at Goodwood would be about 10:30PM.

(Because it will involve extra cost - about $100 per person — and reduce free time, the decision to add this Windsor interlude will have to be unanimous by the group. We'll poll participants in advance, and the decision will be made at least a month before the trip.)

THE GOODWOOD MARRIOTT: Modern and comfortable, and set within the 12,000-acre Goodwood Estate, the Marriott is our choice because of its excellent amenities and proximity to the racecourse. It has a fine restaurant as well as casual dining, and an atmospheric bar in addition to the extras noted above. Go to www.marriotthotels.co.uk/pmegs to see more about the hotel. A full English breakfast is included each morning.

 
Day 6
Tue  July 26
Opening Day of "Glorious Goodwood", a top-drawer summer social event with its own special atmosphere, as well as a venue for very high class racing, all at what many people consider the world's most beautiful racecourse. Co-featured today are the Group 2 Lennox for sprinters, and the Group 3 Gordon for classic-distance 3-year-olds. We'll have our own private paddock-facing box within the members' enclosure, and a block of seats nearby to watch the racing. A very nice lunch, and then later tea, will be served in the box. The bar will be open all day.
 
Day 7
Wed  July 27
Day Two of Glorious Goodwood, and one of the better days of the entire racing year. Today we'll have members' enclosure badges, and reserved seats to come and go from. The card features the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, one of the very biggest one-mile races on the European calendar. Similar to the King George, this race frequently pits the top 3-year-olds against their elders at this specialty distance for the first time. Also today: The Group 3 Vintage Stakes for 2-year-olds, won in 2004 by divisional champion Shamardal over subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko. The unique 2 5/8-mile Goodwood Handicap, which starts and finishes in front of the stands and has more twists and turns than three normal races, is the day's traditional opening event.

Tonight we'll organize a no-host group dinner at an area restaurant.

 
Day 8
Thur  July 28
This morning we are fortunate to be able to visit the yard and private gallops of John Dunlop, himself a Derby-winning trainer, at nearby Arundel.

In the afternoon: the third day of Glorious Goodwood, featuring the Group 2 two-mile Goodwood Cup, one of the year's principal events for "stayers". We'll have our usual members' badges and seats. By Goodwood standards, this is a quiet day. If the weather's fine, we'll linger over drinks outside at the course and enjoy watching the late afternoon age. You'll be reluctant to leave. In less than typical "Glorious" weather, we'll repair to some other suitable spot for our last evening together.

 
Day 9
Fri  July 29
The organized itinerary ends this morning, following breakfast and checkout from the hotel. We will provide transportation to your London airport or to Central London for those who may want to extend there. Good luck and travel safely.
 

CLOSING DATE:

This trip closed on May 27, 2005.

COME EARLY, STAY LATE:

This itinerary is designed to be full and busy. For those preferring a more leisurely experience, we invite you to consider coming to London earlier.

Even a day or two in London for adjusting at the beginning can be beneficial. You may want more — for shopping or your own special interests. There is racing near London most days. The concierge at The Draycott can advise and help organize anything else you want.

Glorious Goodwood runs on for two more days after our itinerary ends. We'll do our best for you if you'd like to extend at the Marriott, but can't promise anything until you've made your request. The demand is extremely heavy.

The Draycott and the Marriott have promised to accommodate extensions as best they can, but the space is not blocked or guaranteed. Please let us know as soon as possible if you wish to do this.

ITINERARY & PRICES:

The itinerary includes:

  • Seven(7) nights lodging as indicated: three(3) in London, and four(4) at Goodwood.
  • Breakfast each morning as indicated.
  • Four(4) escorted days' racing at Newbury and Goodwood, including transportation to and from the racecourse, members' enclosure admission or equivalent, and race card. Private box on one(1) day at Goodwood. Reserved seating on second and third days at Goodwood.
  • Brunch on One(1) day: in Lambourn.
  • Lunch on One(1) day: at Goodwood Racecourse.
  • Afternoon Tea on One(1) day: at Goodwood Racecourse.
  • Excursion from London to Lambourn, including gallops and yard visit.
  • Transfer from London airport to the Draycott Hotel, London.
  • Transfer from Draycott Hotel, London, to Goodwood Marriott Hotel, West Sussex.
  • Transfer from Goodwood Marriott Hotel, West Sussex, to Central London, London Heathrow Airport, or London Gatwick Airport.
  • Complimentary racing newspaper each day.
  • Welcome cocktails at the Draycott Hotel, London.
  • Accompaniment throughout by an aware and signally congenial American escort.
The itinerary does not include:
  • Airfare to and from the U.S.A.
  • The cost of dinner on any night, or lunch except on days indicated.
The Cost of the Trip does not include:
  • Any charges incurred at hotels other than the basic cost of the room, including but not limited to room service, mini-bar, television or video, restaurant or bar service, laundry or dry-cleaning, business services, golf or other activities, and activities arranged through hotel concierge. (All group members will be required to provide a credit card imprint upon check-in at each hotel to guarantee payment for any individual charges.)
  • Excess baggage charges.
  • Costs related to obtaining passports or visas.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Alcoholic beverages, except at Goodwood Racecourse on July 26.
  • Charges incurred for anything other than what is specified in the "Itinerary Includes" summary above.
  • Any gratuities. Please note your principal tour escort does not expect and will not accept a gratuity.
The Cost of the Trip Is:
    $4,395 per person, based on double occupancy.
    $1,045 single supplement*

    *Please note that the single rooms at the Draycott in London are significantly smaller than the doubles, but they do not add any cost to the Single Supplement price. Single trip members may upgrade to a standard double room, with an addition of $345 to the Single Supplement. Single trip members wishing to be accommodated in a deluxe double must add $760 to the Single Supplement. There is no assurance that single or standard double rooms will be available at the Draycott until they are booked. At the Goodwood Marriott, singles will be accommodated in the same class of double rooms as the double-occupancy members of the group.

    We will attempt to match single travelers wishing to double up and thereby avoid the Single Supplement, however it will always be the single traveler's decision whether or not to accept a roommate. Because of the limited number of rooms that we have been able to reserve at these very busy times, we regret we must reserve the right to limit the number of single travelers on each trip.

    Trip prices are subject to change up to forty-five(45) days prior to trip departure to reflect fluctuations in currency exchange rates between the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Dollar prices quoted here are based on the following exchange rates:

      1 US $ = 0.521 UK pound // 1 UK pound =1.92 US $
      1 US $ = 0.741 Euro // 1 Euro = 1.35 US $

OPTIONS:

  • Additional Nights at the Draycott Hotel, London, if available: $255 per night, per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement will vary.
  • Additional Nights at the Goodwood Marriott Hotel, West Sussex, if available: to be determined.

*The trips are designed for ten to sixteen people. We reserve the right to cancel a trip if it has less than ten subscribers. Should we need to do this, all payments made toward the cost of the trip will be fully and promptly refunded.

*You must have a valid passport to enter the United Kingdom.

*Please note the approximate driving time from the Goodwood Marriott to the London airports is approximately three hours, and you must arrive at the airport to check in by the time your airline has advised you. We recommend leaving The Marriott a minimum of five (5) hours prior to your flight departure time. Therefore, we advise a departure time for your flight from London as late in the day as you can make it, consistent with the time you want to be back in the U.S.

View the itineraries for our other 2005 trips:
For June, click here   For August, click here   For September-October, click here

Racing photos © www.actionplus.co.uk

 

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