I Can't Race Chocobos! PLZ HELP!!!!

[Templar]

Okay, I'm end-game, I've beat Diamond and Emerald, bred Gold Chocobo, got all the level 4 limits, BUT when I go to the Gold Saucer at the chocobo square it only lets me bet on races. It will NOT let me race, or even offer the option. In my previous playthroughs I thought this was automatic. PLEASE HELP!

[Templar]

Actually I solved it. So what happened was that I had used "Black Chocobo" to give myself the 6 stables for breeding, I hadn't actually bought a stable from the old man at the Chocobo Ranch, even though I did the breeding and stuff normally. Buying at least that first stable room switches a global value which replaces the guard with Esther in the Chocobo Racing room. Obviously if Esther isn't standing to the left, in place of the guard that's there during the Keystone stuff, you can't talk to her which is how you race yourself.

So, if anyone ever runs into this issue use "Black Chocobo" to untoggle the stable stalls, and then go to the old man and buy them from him. Once you do that Esther should appear finally.

Crazy how little things do that!