Giddy up: the coolest day at the races
SWITZERLAND: The White Turf Club sees horses galloping on a frozen lake amidst all the glamour and glitz of St Moritz.
I’ve had an enduring interest in horse racing since a teenager. My first job was working for a bookmaker on Saturdays. This during my last few years at school. And in the following decades, I’ve had various shares in syndicates that owned a few slow horses.
So when on tour, I often seek out a local race meeting to get a feel for the local trackside colour and caper. Can be a real insight into that country’s culture.
And so it was during a skiing trip to Austria (St Anton) that I realised the infamous White Turf Club was being held around the same time. So I tweaked the itinerary to coincide with the very short racing season on the frozen lake at St Moritz in Switzerland.
High society meets Jack Frost
Now, it’s probably not on every punter’s radar, but for uniqueness, coolness, high fashion and oodles of champagne, there’s nothing quite like being trackside on a frozen Swiss lake in subzero temperatures. Top-tier sponsors such as Longines and BMW ensure the amenities (albeit temporary), catering and attendees are all first class.
You've got fashion mavens rubbing shoulders with rugged outdoorsy types, all bundled up in a mishmash of designer furs and practical winter gear.
The race meeting is a mix of traditional flat and harness racing plus the dangerous Skikjoring, whereby a “jockey” dons a pair of skis and steers using extra-long reins, sliding along behind. It looks as precarious as it sounds.
Betting is a bit primitive, however; a tote accepts your bets but there is no indication of prices until seconds before the race starts. In conjunction with the racing carnival are art exhibitions, live music venues, and plenty of people-watching opportunities.
But the White Turf Club isn't just about horsing around. For a big day out, early birds can carve up the slopes, then mosey on down at lunch time to catch the races. Be sure to consume your fair share of caviar and champagne. If you’re still peckish after the races, grab an early dinner at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, before returning to the slopes that same night on Switzerland’s longest illuminated ski run. That’s a big day out by any measure.
So if you’re hankering after a winter getaway that's a cut above the rest, the White Turf in St. Moritz might just be your ticket. It's a rare confluence of sport, culture, and Mother Nature at her frostiest finest.