www.racecourseassociation.co.uk October 2018 updatenewsletter CONTENTS Welcome 03 Finalists Announced 06 15 Raceday Experience Group 08 On Track 10 It's The Racecourse in Focus 11 Did You Know ... 11 RCA Safety Group 12 Racecourse Grounstaff Courses 13 Badges & Pass 2018 15 Racegoers Club 16 Five Minutes of Fame 17 Racing Foundation 18 Racing to School 19 Racing Together 19 The Thoroughbred Club 21 Thoroughbred Breeders Assoc. 21 Watt Fences 22 Duralock 23 Pitchcare 24 Job Board 25 Careers in Racing 26 Careers Overview Seminars 27 Diary Dates / Contributors / 28 Staff Contact List 18 20 23 2 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page WELCOMEWords by Paul Swain the Showcase stage in Aintree and to life for the day. We have been served Beverley, both of which have fantastic up some memorable moments during stories to tell. the 2018 flat season and here’s hoping that this continues with some pulsating This year’s external speakers are finishes at Ascot. primed to deliver presentations which we are excited to share with In RCA matters, it was great to see so racecourses. Malcolm Booth of the R&A many faces at the October Members’ will discuss the new marketing strategy Fora at Newbury and York plus the which delivered unprecedented results Major Incident Awareness courses for The Open Championship whilst at Newmarket and Musselburgh. We Michael Caulfield of Sporting Edge want these events to best serve what will share tales from working with you, our members, want, so please do England manager Gareth Southgate provide us with feedback as to how we in the run-up to the Three Lions’ can make the most effective use of this historical run in Russia as a blueprint for time. effectively managing a team to achieve October’s Update is as busy as ever, exceptional results. with updates from our Raceday Much of the excitement around Experience Group, the Safety Group Showcase is for the Awards and it was and the Racegoers Club who have The clocks are about to go back which wonderful to see a record number of lots to look forward to in the coming means only one thing…it’s time for racecourses participate this year. As months with an up-and-coming the crowning of champions, both at such, it will come as no surprise that prospect Some Day Soon plus a new the Showcase & Awards and British we had some close calls on the judging horse to add to the stable Blue Bullet. Champions Day! day and on a couple of occasions it This month’s feature articles On came down to a final vote amongst our The RCA is so grateful for the Track and Racecourse in Focus look judges to decide upon a winner. continued support of racecourses for at Scottish Racing and Market Rasen the Showcase & Awards. Now in its Saturday 20th October is a date long Racecourse respectively—you can find ninth year, the event continues to grow since circled in the calendar by many abridged versions within Update with at both levels: seminar and awards. racing fans for British Champions Day. full editions available on our website. The team at British Champions Series Our seminar programme is packed with We hope you enjoy and, as ever, please have worked tirelessly to promote best practice and inspirational stories do get in touch using the contacts at all aspects of the event, from the which we hope delegates can use to the back of Update to chat through any fantastic equine stars and their riders continue to raise the bar at their own of the content. racecourses. I’m particularly pleased on the track to the innovative raceday to welcome two new racecourses to experience elements which are brought 3 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page SHOWCASE & AWARDS 2018 4 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page NEWS FROM THE RCA The latest from the RCA, the Finalists announced, and a look at On Track, Racecourse in Focus and the Racegoers Club. 5 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page FINALISTS ANNOUNCED The judges have deliberated A winner in each category, as well as the Awards increase this year which The Finalists and the scores are in… we’re an overall Champion Racecourse, will shows the care and attention given to be decided at the Showcase & Awards enhancing the raceday experience. Best Campaign Food & Beverage proud to announce the 2018 in partnership with Moët Hennessey, Aintree— The 2018 Randox Health Grand Ascot—Royal Ascot 2018: Rethinking the Fine “The diversity amongst the Finalists Finalits for the Showcase & Racing Breaks, Racing Post and Great National Festival #TheWorldIsWatching Dining Experience demonstrates both the quality and British Racing Aintree Racecourse, the Awards! variety of the experience on offer across Cartmel—Boyzone at Cartmel Bath—Food & Beverage at Bath reigning Showcase Champions, on all our racecourses. Congratulations The list of Finalists across the 10 Thursday 8th November. Goodwood—The Magnolia Cup Cheltenham—Theatre @ The Festival to all of our Finalists – to be nominated categories covers 25 racecourses in Pontefract—The Ponte Faithful Hamilton Park—The Perfect Start…er total. Hamilton Park lead the way with Caroline Davies, the RCA’s Racecourse as such is a great achievement in itself. Worcester – Celebrating 300 Years of Racing in four nominations, whilst Ascot, Beverley, Services Director, said, “It is one of The countdown to Aintree on Thursday Newmarket—The Stage Bar at the Moët & Worcester Goodwood, Newbury, Newmarket, the most exciting times of year to see 8th November is now on to see who will Chandon July Festival Royal Windsor, Royal Windsor, Sandown the Showcase submissions go before join our esteemed list of winners.” the judges. We were thrilled to see the Park and Uttoxeter also cap off fine Community & Corporate Social Love of the Sport years with three nominations each. number of racecourses engage with Responsibility Goodwood—Recognising the Commitment of Aintree—People & Partnership—Racing Racing Staff Together to Make a Difference Market Rasen—Horseplay Raceday Ascot—Ascot Racecourse Supports Newton Abbot—Fact Fridays Beverley—Combatting Loneliness Sandown Park—Tingle Creek & Becher Chase Uttoxeter—Saving 75 Lives Double Header Warwick—A Community Matrix Strategy Thirsk— The Creditas Taking Care of Business Stable Staff Stakes Digital & Social Media Ascot—Mobile-first Performance Operational Excellence Beverley—Don’t Tell the Lady Doncaster—A Spectacular Hotel for a Showcase St Leger Festival Musselburgh—Leveraging the Power of Influencers Goodwood—Richmond Enclosure Development Newton Abbot—Winner of Winners Hamilton Park—Phase Two—Never Stand Still Sandown Park—Teddy the Shetland—Little Legs, Big Reach! Newbury—The Owners Club Royal Windsor—Reimagining Monday Night Racing Events Bath—Kids Takeover Racing #TopSpot Beverley—Bygone Beverley Chester—Timeline Walk Carlisle—Carlisle Ladies Night Hamilton Park—Starting Stall Lift Chelmsford City—Ladies Day 2018 Newbury—Owners’ Touch Screens Royal Windsor—Choc ‘n’ Awe—A World of Pure Imagination Newmarket—Car Parking Ticket Stunt Pontefract—Handwritten Postcards Owners’ Experience Ludlow Racing Post Readers’ Award Newbury Cartmel Newmarket Hamilton Park Uttoxeter Royal Windsor The Showcase 2018 Judging Panel (L-R) Gareth Balch, Chris Cook, Pam Foden, Ken McGarrity, Matt Lynch and Tony Langham Wetherby Sandown Park Uttoxeter 6 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page 7 | RCA Update Newsletter 2018 Back to content page RACEDAY EXPERIENCE SIX THINGS YOU NEED TO GROUP KNOW FROM REG... October Executive Summary & Actions Words by Paul Swain Life is like a box of chocolates (except now you know what you’re gonna get) At selected John Lewis stores in the build up to Christmas this year you can now select your own perfect combination of Quality Street in a bespoke tin to boot. The moral of the story? Customers love choice and the 1. opportunity to personalise, which evidence shows they are happy to pay extra for. Plus, who doesn’t want to Attendees: Good Ideas Roundtable see (and smell)10ft high stacks of Quality Street? Caroline Davies (Chair) Richard Hammill (Pontefract) • Surprise & delight traybakes by a Ilona Barnett (Stratford) Kerry Hill (Jockey Club Racecourses) Great British Bake Off winner for Rob Boobyer (Newbury) Matt Jones (RCA) racegoers Sarah Bullen (Goodwood) Kate McKee (Beverley) Do it for the ‘Gram • Newly installed mother & baby Sam Cone (ARC) Toby Shaw (GBR) Newbury’s ingenious solution to providing the perfect Instagram moment is to give their racegoers 20. Using rooms following racegoer feedback Philip Duncan (Musselburgh) Paul Swain (RCA) resource from the racecourse archive, Newbury will plot a pathway around the site to show racegoers where 2. famous scenes have happened in the past and give them the perfect opportunity to recreate it to share with David Fraser (Harrison:Fraser) Sophie Yates (Harrison:Fraser) • Fantastic post-event coverage from the Ryder Cup 20 instagram happy locations. • Staff training programmes to focus on superb hospitality • E-scooters to hire to help racegoers around the site It’s almost time for the Showcase & Awards We are just weeks away from the ninth Showcase & Awards at Aintree Racecourse. The Raceday Experience • A customer journey photo Group were delighted with the final programme and we hope to see as many of you there as possible to enjoy it opportunity with 20 spots to take 3. with us, taking back plenty of action points for your racecourse. the perfect Insta-moment • Pick your own Christmas sweets (at a profit) • VIP enclosure created using 100% customer feedback U18s Race Free campaign report With the end of the summer holidays comes the end of the core activation period of the U18s Race Free campaign. GBR are currently compiling the full results to share with racecourses, with early readings indicating 4.