Betting to win on horses hurtling round a racetrack is one of life´s great imponderables. To stand any chance of winning, you must study the form assiduously. Perhaps you should whistle up the combined talents of Madame Petulengro and her crystal ball, Gipsy Rose Lee and the tea leaves, Mystic Meg and the runes of the ancient civilisations. On the other hand, you could always stick to the tried and tested, albeit somewhat less than scientific method, of closing your eyes and sticking a pin in. You don't need the overflowing bank balance of the legendary Irish punter, JP McManus, for whom a five-figure stake is the norm rather than the exception. You can have just as much fun and excitement sticking two euros on the nose and crossing your fingers as the jockeys urge their mounts on to ever greater efforts in the quest for success.

Indeed, every June, thousands of housewives traditionally had a bob or two on Lester Piggott's thrash round the English Derby track at Epsom. They probably would have done so, if Lester had been riding sidesaddle on a blind, three-legged ex-pit pony. It was a classic example of the winning being less important than the taking part. Residents and visitors to the Costa del Sol have, since its inauguration on 1 July, 2000, been able to enjoy the extraordinary excitement and adrenalin rush of seeing their chosen equine vying for top slot at the Hipodromo Costa del Sol, at Mijas. The twin-track course represents many years of hard work and lobbying for a number of people, not the least of whom is the former Mayor of Mijas, Antonio Maldonado. It was he who pushed the vision to have a top-class track through the multi-layered bureaucratic maze, fought with those who said it would never work and finally saw his dream come true.

The Hipodromo Costa del Sol was the first new racecourse to open in Spain for 25 years and it has proved to be an unqualified success. It now has two concentric tracks, with floodlighting for night-time racing, a grandstand for 5,000 spectators and trackside seating for a further 5,000. The circuit is the focal point of what will be, in the fullness of time, a full leisure resort, which will include a show jumping field, track-and-field stadium and a 5-star hotel.

The track´s main incentive for racehorse owners - apart from the highest prize money in Spain - is that the Hipodromo Costa del Sol racing season lasts throughout the winter, when most European courses close due to bad weather and the jump jockeys take over. For trainers it is the ability to be able to school their horses and race them throughout a season which lasts this year from 13 January right through until 15 December. Night-time racing on Saturdays, from 10pm, takes place during June, July, August and September. From October to May, daytime racing takes place every other Sunday, starting at 11am and, from June to September, evey Saturday, again starting at 11am.

The permanent staff of the racecorse is, at present, 50 strong although, on racedays, a further 50 people are drafted in as clerks, stewards, betting terminal operators, starting gate handlers and security staff.
"It is an absolutely excellent facility here - everything a trainer could want is on the doorstep," says Peter Haley, who formerly trained jumpers at Thirsk, in North Yorkshire and was last year's top trainer at Mijas. He currently has 16 horses in training, out of the 200 permanently based there. "There has been racing in Spain for something like 80 years, although it has tended to be concentrated in the north of the country. Now, we have this track here, as well as the Club Pineda in Seville and great new grass/sand tracks at the Dos Hermanas course, just outside Seville.

Other facilities at Mijas include stabling for private individuals, an athletics ground, a gymnasium, a soon-to-open hostal, the opportunity to take riding lessons, training courses and enter jumping competitions. "At Mijas, the development has been remarkable. It has improved very rapidly, both in the numbers of horses entered for each race and in the quality of the horses taking part. We now have to build on this foundation to make sure that racing on the Costa del Sol really works well and attracts owners and trainers from many other countries. Like any new development, Mijas needs to have regular injections of money to ensure that it grows.

"This is why there has been so much speculation about the French taking over here. Apart from anything else, it would open up the betting system on their pari-mutuel lines, so that people would be able to stake off-course money from all over Andalucía and, indeed, all over Spain, at selected outlets. It is still, in effect, a Tote bet, but it would certainly hugely increase the flow of money, which would allow prize money to be increased, which would draw in more owners….and so on and so on."

The Hipodromo Costa del Sol already hosts the richest sand race in Europe - the Mijas Cup, run in March - funded by the Mijas Town Hall, with a prize pot of E178.500. A new covered grandstand, with seating for 5,000 is under construction. Every Saturday evening, when the floodlit races, running from 10.30 pm to around 1.30 am, are held, upwards of 5,000 punters - an eclectic mix of British tourists and residents and Spanish, en famille, line the rails to cheer on their favourites. Large screens allow them to eat and drink at any of the seven restaurants and bars and still catch the action; they can see the horses in the parade ring, place their bets, and then salute the victor, all within an area of some 300 by 60 yards. They can take advantage of an elevated view from the Alameda Terrace, where there is also live music. If the racing palls for the kids, they can while away the time in an amusement arcade; parents can spend their winnings in the souvenir shop, munch pizza at Papa Luigi's or have a taste of the ould sod in Patsy Fagan's Irish Bar. It really couldn't be any easier.

Fifty-year-old Jo Connors is a long-term resident on the coast and a regular at the Hipodromo.

"I love it here. It's a really great addition to the facilities which, for so long, have been centred around the beach, golf and tennis. The beach I like, but I don't play sports. So, unless I go to a movie, a restaurant or bar, there's precious little else for me. I come pretty much every weekend with a bunch of friends. One of these days I'm going to win a bundle, but it hasn't happened yet. Who cares when you're having so much fun. What does it cost me? Parking is free, entrance is free, the food and drink are excellent value - the rest is down to me. The other week, I bet two euros on each of the five races, got a first in one of them, and came out six euros down. I reckon that's pretty good for three hours cracking entertainment.

"If you'd pulled the tricast (correctly forecasting the 1-2-3 in one race) recently, it was paying out E1,280 for every euro staked. Put five euros on, hit the button and you'd have walked away a happy bunny. I'd say that E6.400 for a punt of five was a good return.

"It's really clean and everyone is very friendly. There are loads of trees planted in the public areas, shedloads of seating and excellent lighting. The betting is really easy and you can bet on all the races in one hit. The staff speak English and are extremely helpful. It's midnight and I'm wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Give me this rather than Kempton on a wet, freezing cold Saturday any time."
English-born businessman Norman Jones has seven horses in training at Mijas and scooped first place in the second race of the night when we visited the Hipodromo. "It's a hobby, really, rather than any kind of business. Well, it has to be when the prize money is relatively low and the cost of keeping horses runs out at around 150 pounds a week each. I can pick up 2,000 pounds for a win, but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out the economics. You don't win every time you saddle a horse - in fact, it's the exception rather than the rule. I make my money out of property and spend a fair wedge of it on my horses.

"A proper grandstand is badly needed here and I am surprised they don't charge people for entrance, however nominal a figure that might be. It would certainly help to swell the pot and I don't think punters would mind paying a few bob to come here. It's a good facility, and if the French were to take over its running, it would certainly change the face of racing. But, I wouldn't be at all surprised if all the speculation was nothing more than gossip. Having said that, I do enjoy it and I think it's good for the coast."

Jockey Paul Fredericks is 25 years old, weighs 60 kilos, which makes him one of the top weights, and has been riding professionally since 1996. He worked in the UK with trainer Gaye Kellaway before upping sticks for the Costa del Sol.

"I was too tall and, probably, too heavy to ride really competitively in England, so I made the decision to come here and I've never regretted it. I get consistent rides, the track is pretty good from a jockey's point of view and the atmosphere is first class. I have heard all the talk about the French taking over and they, obviously, have much more experience in managing tracks at the top level than do the Spanish. Whether it comes off remains to be seen - no matter what happens, I hope I'll still be around. It certainly beats racing in the rain in England."

As to the issue of a French takeover of the track, course director, D. Jose Juan Abrines said: "The French group, E-QUINIELA, has been allocated the off-course bets within the Andalucían territory by Hipdromos de Andalucia, a 50% joint venture betyween Dos Hermanas in Seville and the Costa del Sol racecourse in Mijas. In addition, E-QUINIELA will be running the Dos Hermanas racourse in Seville. They wish to enter into some sort of agreement with us for racing and betting. This is under study on our part at present.

"It is too early to release regular annual turnover figures, as we have only just practically started to operate. The racecourse is expected to be profitablewhen the off-course bets are in full development and completion of the facilities effected. However, the total investment made by the racecourse up to date amounts to over 24 million euros and another 10 million euros will be invested next."

So, get up to Mijas and get your money down….and have a bucketful of fun.