www.racecourseassociation.co.uk August 2019 August updatenewsletter CONTENTS Welcome 03 On Track 06 06 Racecourse in Focus 08 Did You Know... 10 Badges & Pass 2019 11 Swopping Saddles 12 Racegoers Club 13 Five Minutes of Fame 15 New Jockey Club Appointment 16 Racing to School 17 Racing Together 18 Racing Foundation 19 HBLB 20 TBA 21 Careers in Racing 22 Watt Fences 23 Overview of British Racing 25 Diary Dates / Contributors / Staff 26 Contact List 09 17 19 Front Cover: Image courtesy of Go Racing in Yorkshire 2 | RCA Update Newsletter 2019 Back to content page WELCOMEWords by Paul Swain straight and delirium when Enable just Elsewhere this month, the Go Racing did enough to pull clear over the line. In Yorkshire (GRIY) Summer Festival However, the sectional data from the with Sky Bet was in full swing as eight of race gives an entirely new perspective the nine Yorkshire racecourses hosted and one that’s equally as enthralling ten meetings from 20th-28th July. once the dust has settled. GRIY Manager Charlotte Russell will feature in our On Track article shortly, Some key stats (with thanks to but until then this month’s Racecourse Ascot’s Industry Affairs Manager, Will in Focus takes us to West Yorkshire and Aitkenhead and Longines): Pontefract, where the racecourse has Closing 3f excelled this season in bringing new elements to the raceday experience Enable - 38.13s and has even been rewarded with a Crystal Ocean - 38.53s Guinness World Record™. Top speed Enable - 40.8mph Crystal Ocean - 40.5mph Fastest furlong Enable - 11.37s Whether it’s the tale of the tape or the story of the statistics, Ascot’s Crystal Ocean - 11.40s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Distance travelled QIPCO Stakes sectional data shows Enable - 2419.8m racing has something for everyone… Crystal Ocean - 2417.9m What a wonderful, sure-to-go-down- in-history, race the 2019 Ascot’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Breaking down the battle into this Stakes was. This particular race has a minute detail demonstrates again prestigious past of throwing up some what a victory this was for Enable: she almighty battles (think Grundy and travelled faster and ultimately further Bustino 1975, Crystal Ocean and Poets than her nearest rival. Word 2018), with this year’s renewal Sectional data will open many adding Enable and Crystal Ocean to the new avenues for our sport and it’s list. encouraging that the technology is developing all the time to make this The official distance was a neck and for All roads railways and airways lead to Hamilton Park many this will be all you need to know; information readily available for all races the gasps from the crowd as the two in the future. The HBLB provide a useful market leaders pulled clear, the cheers update on funding later in the edition. to accompany the tussle up the home Another event where we’ve seen some almighty battles in the quest for victory is the RCA’s Showcase & Awards where racecourses have enjoyed healthy competition over the past ten years to celebrate and reward the best in raceday experience. In our decennary year, our On Track this month is a look back on Showcase with a nod to this year’s event at Hamilton Park. We hope to see as many of you there as possible on Thursday 14th November (although we can’t promise sectional data on the race to be Champion Racecourse just yet). The Racecourse in Focus: Pontefract 3 | RCA Update Newsletter 2019 Back to content page 4 | RCA Update Newsletter 2019 Back to content page NEWS FROM THE RCA The latest from On Track, Racecourse in Focus, and the Racegoers Club. 5 | RCA Update Newsletter 2019 Back to content page ON TRACK He explained: “As the awards have become more established, we have – 10TH ANNUAL given the seminar a real push. In the early days we were working through our little black book to find speakers but SHOWCASE now it’s the opposite—we get more offers than we can accommodate on the programme. “We give a platform to those racecourses which have reached the peak of excellence that year, and then combine that insight with the best from Moët Hennessy have been a valued partner of the event for many years outside the sport. We’ve had some fantastic speakers form huge brands: The formalisation of five Award the racecourses and curate an event Centre Parcs, the Royal & Ancient, categories in 2011 – Best Campaign/ which has become an established part Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal football Marketing, Events, Food & Beverage, of the racecourse calendar. Showcase clubs and Wimbledon to name but a few. Operational Excellence and an overall recognises two brand values at its core: “We’re never afraid to put something champion – has evolved over the years excellence and innovation. We stress on the agenda that we think will stretch to reflect the increased breadth of both terms in everything we do.” and challenge the racecourses, because racecourse commitment and areas the whole point is to inspire them and that the RCA wish to inspire change Expert Independence drive up standards. It’s incredible how amongst racecourses. The judging panel, unsung heroes many new ideas introduced by our “We were, and remain, fortunate to of the Showcase process, have and speakers have been adopted by other have such an expert sounding board always will be an independent body racecourses who are then able to put in the RCA’s Raceday Experience comprised of experts in their own field. their own spin on them.” Forum to discuss not only the Awards A three-year limit was introduced to themselves but what was important to the panel to ensure a fresh stream of Awards for Awards The RCA team are looking forward to hosting the tenth annual Showcase & Awards the racecourses” explained Davies. “This ideas continued to flow and to ensure The success of the Showcase & group has been an integral part of the no perceptions of complacency or bias Awards has not gone unnoticed in Celebrating the tenth annual RCA light was given and the idea pitched at early in the process and has remained evolution of Showcase.” could be cast. other quarters. The RCA and the ECB Showcase event, the marquee event a racecourse managers’ gathering at ever since—the Awards must reflect have an established partnership which of the Racecourse Association which Chester in 2009. What would become all aspects of the operation of a The Racing Together Community “The structure of the awards has to sees Showcase and the Business of launched last week, marks the coming the Showcase & Awards would follow racecourse. & Corporate Social Responsibility befit the work the racecourses put in” Cricket awards (BOCAs) share best of age of an initiative that provides a a year later with a one-day conference category was introduced in 2012, explained Swain. “The submissions are practice with each other, and the RCA platform for excellence and innovation at Doncaster, led by brand consultant followed swiftly by categories on the a labour of love for the authors and received international acclaim at the among racecourses. David Fraser of Harrison:Fraser who “Over the years we’ve Owners’ Experience award, Digital & in some cases we are talking about 2017 European Association Awards for remain valuable partners to the RCA’s been able to build Social Media, Love of the Sport and hours of work. It’s essential that each Showcase. “It was an unexpected but This year’s event will take place on Raceday Experience Forum to this day. Diversity & Inclusion, with the latter submission is judged on its merit and by wonderful moment to be recognised Thursday 14th November at Hamilton “As you would expect, there were people’s confidence receiving the backing of the pan-sport a panel who have the required expertise by our peers, particularly on a European Park, the reigning champions, and will racecourses that were early adopters, that this is a proper Diversity in Racing Steering Group. to decide between the good and the level” recalled Swain. “It gave us a taste be partnered by Great British Racing, but some were more cautious” truly excellent.” of our own medicine in many ways—we Racing Post and Moët Hennessy. A explained Davies. “As organisers, learning and sharing Gear Change now know how all of the nominees must decade is a long time in any walk of the RCA needed to convince them experience and an After the second Showcase event feel at Showcase!” life, and the Showcase & Awards is no that a better experience at individual at Epsom Downs in 2011, the “We’re never afraid to exception as RCA Racecourse Services racecourses would help us all in the long event that they cannot Davies-Cook administrative axis was put something on the All Roads Lead to Hamilton Park Director Caroline Davies recalled. run and that it was necessary to look augmented by the addition of the Ascot Taking the event to reigning champions outside of the racing bubble at what afford to miss." head office’s newest arrival Paul Swain. agenda that we think will Hamilton Park will be a landmark Inspiring & Celebrating Change ‘excellent’ looked like from elsewhere. In time Swain was promoted to the moment for Showcase given that it will “When the Showcase idea was pitched “The data we’ve now got from Two roles of running the annual event and stretch and challenge be the first time it has been hosted in by the RCA and Great British Racing Circles tells us that there’s not massive Davies, who worked on the project in managing the RCA’s raceday experience the racecourses, Scotland.