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RCA Annual Report 2019 1

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4 The RCA Board5 The RCA Executive Structure6 Chairman’s Report8 Chief Executive’s Report10 RCA Operating Plan 201911 Vision & Values12 Racecourse Services Report14 Racing Report16 Brand & Experience Report18 Showcase & Awards22 Racegoers Club24 Marketing Services & Attendances25 Pace Yourself Plus26 RaceTech27 Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme28 RCA Group Representatives30 Partners

Contents

RCA Annual Report 2019 54 RCA Annual Report 20194 RCA Annual Report 2019

Maggie Carver Chairman

Charles Barnett Vice-Chairman Large Independent Racecourses

David Armstrong Chief Executive

Bill Farnsworth Independent Racecourses

Simon Bazalgette Jockey Club Racecourses

Martin Cruddace Arena Racing Company

Pat Masterson Independent Racecourses

Jonjo Sanderson Independent Racecourses

The RCA Board


The RCA Executive Structure

Maggie CarverChairman

David ArmstrongChief Executive

Caroline DaviesRacecourse Services

Director

Carol WalkerPA to Racecourse

Services

Holly CookRacecourse Services

Manager

Paul SwainBrand & Experience

Manager

Andy CliftonRacing Director

Jackie TizzardFinance Administrator

Sophie HellyerRacegoers

Club Executive

Katya BrowneRacecourse Services

Executive

Matthew JonesBrand & Experience

Executive

Helen BallerinoFinancial Accountant

Kevin WalshRacing Executive

RCA Annual Report 2019 76 RCA Annual Report 2019

Looking back over the last 18 months, there is no question that this has been a difficult period in many ways. The manner of the departure of the BHA Chair caused damage to relationships that were steadily being forged and this effect was further exacerbated by the news of the early implementation of the significant reduction in the maximum stake wagered on Fixed

Odds Betting Terminals and the consequent effect on income to the sport and prize money. Much effort was expended in setting up the Racing Authority, in recruiting excellent non-executives, and in getting new and important committees established with bookmakers. The demise of the Racing Authority was a significant opportunity lost and we must strive to keep as much of the good generated that we can.

Nevertheless, much progress is being made. Stephen Atkin left us after 18 years of dedicated service as Chief Executive last September and we were fortunate to replace him with David Armstrong who joins us with extensive experience of the sports, leisure and retail sectors. He is currently Chairman of Pentathlon GB and formerly CEO of Wasps rugby club and a member of the World Athletics Championships Board. David has immediately picked up the reins and has made a dynamic and promising start.

We are well on the way with the Government’s self-help agenda items. Amongst these are initiatives to bring new income into the sport. The RCA has been instrumental in setting up the Betting Liaison Group, now transferred from the Racing Authority to the Levy Board. With the latter’s help, race-by-race data is now coming in on a regular basis

from five out of the six largest levy-paying betting operators, both retail and online. A Betting Data Analysis Group has been set up to analyse the data and a Betting Data Innovation Group to devise new ways of increasing profitable turnover on racing. Important amongst these will be products emanating from the tracking and timing data that the Levy Board is now sponsoring. I very much hope that sufficiently accurate and reliable data will be soon be available on all courses. Racecourses are also engaged in the development of the Tote.

Social responsibility has also been a high priority. Our partnership with Drinkaware has developed each year; we have put in place initiatives on drugs, and the RCA Gambling Advisory Group has launched a Responsible Betting Campaign. There have also been several Racing Goes Green initiatives including one to reduce single-use plastics on racecourses.

The RCA played a leading role in setting up the Horse Welfare Board which will work with the BHA to address some of the pressing issues involving tripartite parties, such as the use of the whip and injuries and fatalities on the track.

Racecourses have been at the heart of their communities for longer than any other major sport. Chester recently celebrated 480 years of racing on the Roodee. Community engagement programmes undertaken by racecourses include working with horses to improve mental health at Aintree, helping the hard of hearing at Beverley, prostate cancer screening at Uttoxeter, and many school visits and other projects working with Racing Together. These are just a few of the inspiring initiatives currently taking place at racecourses.

Chairman's Report Maggie Carver

At industry level, progress is also being made. I would like to thank Atholl Duncan for his hard work as Interim Chair at the BHA and, in particular, for his inclusive approach. I would also like to thank Vivien Currie for her sterling work as the BHA nominated director. David Armstrong and I have now joined the Board and we are looking forward to working with the new BHA Chair, Annamarie Phelps. On the diversity agenda, it is good to see so many women now chairing boards, including Annamarie, Ann Duffield at the National Trainers Federation and Julia Budd and Rose Paterson at Epsom Downs and Aintree racecourses respectively. A recent visit to Racetech’s operations at Royal Ascot took me through all the enclosures and I was struck by the improved diversity in

racegoers as well as the substantial contribution that racing now makes to the fashion and creative industries.

As always, I would like to thank the staff at the RCA, at RaceTech, and my Board for all their hard work during the year. In the RCA’s case, I am hugely grateful for the excellent and unstinting support they gave me when we were without a Chief Executive. We are lucky to have such an experienced, knowledgeable, dedicated, capable and enthusiastic team. In RaceTech’s case, they have made an impressive start to their new contracts, having built new technical equipment on time and budget, and they are now looking at innovative ways to improve their service.

There are substantial headwinds ahead, on funding, on structure, and on strategic priority. It is my hope that we can work together to build our relationships, not only with the Horsemen and the BHA but also with the Levy Board, the Racing Foundation, the Horse Welfare Board and other relevant bodies to the benefit of our great sport.

History makers: Chester Racecourse have been celebrating their illustrious past with racegoers of today (Image courtesy RM Bevan/Chester Racecourse)


As Chief Executive of one of the sport’s tripartite leaders, perhaps Leadership is the value which resonates the most. I am keen to continue learning about this wonderful sport so that I can give effective guidance and support to the Executive team here whilst offering clear and progressive direction on behalf of the RCA and our member racecourses from a central perspective.

I intend to visit every racecourse over my first 24 months so I look forward to seeing you for a day’s racing soon.

Having joined the racing stable in February this year, I would like to start by thanking all whom I have come into contact with for their warm welcome. It has been a great help whilst immersing myself in horseracing to meet so many diligent people whose aim is to enhance the sport that they love.

One of the first things to hit my inbox was news of the equine flu outbreak. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, the potentially catastrophic situation that the sport found itself in gave us a perfect opportunity to engage and form a conclusive, collaborative response. Such teamwork was necessary but also demonstrated what can be achieved when our stakeholders unite.

Opportunity is a word I would associate with racecourses over the next 12 months. I believe this is an exciting time for the sport—data analysis tells us that more people than ever are enjoying live sports and leisure experiences, both of which are key elements of a day at the races.

When visiting racecourses I’ve been impressed with the level of customer service offered and, in many cases, the well-oiled operation of a complex venue. It’s clear that our members have embraced the fact that service is paramount when customers are onsite for many hours, be it on a raceday or amongst the multitude of non-raceday events that take place. It’s vital that we continue to embrace all avenues of revenue and the RCA will be on-hand to provide the appropriate support.

My role will be to bring my experiences from other sports and work with the RCA team to help provide our members with

the tools they need to become even more successful venues. Data analysis is central to our strategy—be it within existing, effective programmes such as Marketing Services and the Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme, or new areas of work which we will look forward to launching in the months ahead.

Of course, opportunity does not come without challenges. The ongoing uncertainty around the funding of the sport will not truly manifest itself until we have seen the effect that reduced FOBT stakes will have on betting shops and subsequently racecourses, whilst the work on generating fair and increased levy income is ongoing. All stakeholders are together in working to confront these challenges which will be central to our success.

One of the most pleasing elements of joining the RCA was arriving at an organisation that had given such consideration to what it wants to be and how it will provide service to its members. The RCA’s values, which can be found later in this report, of Excellence, Innovation, Leadership, Experience and Welcome define over 112 years of work by our organisation during which time we have been at the forefront of many significant moments in the history of the sport.

Chief Executive’s Report David Armstrong

The RCA's work will enhance the raceday experience for participants and racegoers alike

As the second most attended sport in Great Britain, we have a responsibility to ensure millions have a great day out

The RCA will play a key role in helping racecourses keep their offering contemporary for customers


The 2019 Operating Plan, agreed by the RCA Board, sets out key objectives for the Executive. The summary below provides an overview of progress to date:

Industry Leadership

The RCA has played a significant role alongside its fellow tripartite leaders in developing the Horse Welfare Board and Racing Futures strategy. As a founding partner of Racing Together, the RCA continues to represent racecourses in ensuring the sport is at the forefront of community engagement and a diverse, inclusive space for colleagues, participants and spectators.

Partnership with Betting Industry

In collaboration with the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the RCA has worked to launch an innovative data warehouse to collect and analyse betting data for all races. This ground-breaking database has become an invaluable tool for the industry’s new Betting Liaison Group which has seen leading bookmakers work alongside the industry to help enhance both the betting product and generation of levy.

Fixture List and Funding

The RCA Racing Department has worked closely with key stakeholders to assist with the delivery of the 2020 Fixture List and the funding challenges that have become apparent in the first half of 2019. As we prepare to enter the third and final year of the existing funding arrangement, a key focus will be placed on analysing that arrangement and identifying the elements which should be carried forward into the new structure, which will begin from 2021.

Raceday Experience

Research portfolios have been produced on environmental suitability, antisocial behaviour and profiles of different racegoer demographics as part of the Raceday Experience Forum’s Have a Great Day at the Races strategy. The tenth annual Showcase & Awards will be held at reigning Showcase Champions Hamilton Park on Thursday 14th November.

Integrity and Regulation

The RCA has contributed to significant industry consultation on stewarding and raceday accountability, protecting the interests of all racecourses. Alongside the National Trainers Federation and Racehorse Owners Association, the RCA spearheaded the national equine safety campaign Be Horse Aware which launched in May.

PASS

The PASS concierge system continues to develop with enhancements identified following consultation with racecourses, the wider industry and PASS card holders. These developments are in progress and scheduled for implementation later this year.

RCA Brand & Values

The Executive has conducted interviews to understand staff motivations and values which will better shape the RCA’s output. Details can be found in the following pages of this report.

RCA Operating Plan 2019David Armstrong

11 RCA Annual Report 2019

The RCAThe Racecourse Association was formed in 1907 to bring together the racecourses of Great Britain.

Our aim is to provide leadership to, and representation of, racecourses across a multitude of areas to empower them to be the best venues they can be and a frontrunner in the governance of the sport.

We are guided by the principles of excellence and innovation across all areas of racecourse administration. The RCA takes pride in sharing best practice, faultless research and a warm welcome to those we work with.

Our values:Excellence — We pride ourselves on the quality of our work and the information we provide. It is our privilege as the representative of racecourses to be trusted to deliver excellence.

Innovation — We challenge ourselves and racecourses to consider fresh perspectives and source original, quality research to support our arguments and ensure our output remains contemporary.

Experience — Since 1907, we have served the interests of our member racecourses. The responsibility of this heritage is paramount. Our team combines over 200 years of experience as the go-to reference point for racecourses.

Leadership — The RCA is a front-runner in the governance of British Horseracing and is part of the tripartite leadership structure. We bring together 59 racecourses to speak with one voice.

Welcome — Our events are renowned for the quality of content and level of hospitality offered. Our remit extends to all racecourses and we work with all equally. Our stable of talent work closely with each other and industry partners to ensure our goals are achieved.

The RacecoursesOur members are spread the length and breadth of the country and include some of the world’s most iconic sporting and leisure venues. As the theatres upon which the drama of our sport is played out, racecourses play a vital role in the overall success of the sport. As businesses, racecourses provide a significant source of employment across the country. As neighbours, racecourses are a beacon to inspire the local community and effect real change.

Vision & Values



The past year has seen some changes in the Racecourse Services department, with Will Aitkenhead and Matthew Taylor moving on to roles at racecourses with Katya Browne warmly welcomed to the team.

All About the HorseWith pan-industry support, the Horse Welfare Board has been established

to develop a new and comprehensive welfare strategy for the Industry, under the Chairmanship of Barry Johnson. Along with the RCA Veterinary Adviser, Simon Knapp, I am delighted to represent racecourses as the industry comes together to implement this important work.

The Racecourse Services team has worked closely with our partners at the ROA and NTF to jointly create and adopt a new Parade Ring safety campaign - Be Horse Aware. The campaign draws together best practice and guidelines with the aim of enhancing awareness of being around horses and highlighting simple measures that can be taken to promote safety in and around equine areas.

Partnership Working We continue to work closely and collaboratively with the BHA on key regulatory matters, including reviews of the Racecourse Licensing Process and Raceday Responsibilities, as well as on-going discussion on the implementation of the new Stewarding model across British Racecourses. We have also continued to hold close relationships with key external organisations to identify and share important safety and security information and intelligence, to assist racecourses in identifying the appropriate responses for their businesses.

Racecourse Services Report Caroline Davies

Be Horse Aware: a collaborative industry campaign to enhance Parade Ring Safety

Badges and PASSThe Privileged Access Swipe System (PASS) is now well established across 53 British Racecourses. Following the achievement of the objectives of the first phase we have been working on the next phase of development of the system in conjunction with racecourses, PASS card holders and Industry bodies to deliver enhanced benefits and functionality for both racecourses and customers. We look forward to implementing these later this year. In conjunction with this we are continuing the roll-out of new requirements for centrally allocated accreditation to enable greater security and reflect updates across sport more widely.

RCA Operations SeminarWe were delighted to host the fourth biennial RCA Operations Seminar at Doncaster Racecourse on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th February 2019. The event, which was designed to appeal to racecourse managers and operations teams, focussed on three key themes – taking care of your team; taking care of your customers; and safety and security. The Seminar included a balance of presentations, discussion forums, and table top sessions, which included the conclusion of a series of Major Incident Awareness Courses developed by the RCA Medical Adviser to assist racecourses in the development and implementation of their major incident plans. Delegates also received a briefing from the SGSA on the updated Guide to Safety at Sports; an updated RCA Guide to Safety at Racecourses will be reissued shortly.

The Racecourse Groundstaff AwardsThe RCA team is honoured to continue to administer The Racecourse Groundstaff Awards, in association with Pitchcare, Watt Fences and Fornells. These are the only awards within horseracing which recognise the dedication, professionalism and invaluable work of racecourse groundstaff teams. The format of the Awards was refreshed in 2018, to introduce a new pathway to Groundstaff Champion with input from an independent agronomist, and an incomparable CPD experience for the Champion Groundstaff Team. In 2018 the Awards celebrated the achievements of the teams from Ascot, Great Yarmouth and Warwick Racecourses, with Warwick crowned Groundstaff Champion at the 2018 Showcase & Awards. The Awards also recognised the team at Cheltenham Racecourse via the Merit Award, and the Lifetime Achievement of Newbury's Richard Osgood. A Word of Thanks I would like to conclude by thanking the RCA Technical, Medical, Betting Advisory, Equine Welfare and Safety Groups for their continued invaluable support to the Racecourse Services Team to ensure that we continue to develop initiatives and share knowledge, experience and best practice with racecourses.


This was my first full year as Racing Director, so it is an appropriate opportunity to pass on my thanks to all of the racecourse personnel who have made me feel so welcome and been so helpful since I moved to the RCA in September 2017. I would especially like to thank those who have given up so much time and put in so much effort representing racecourses on the Fixtures and Funding Groups and the Racing Groups.

Prize Money This year marked the third consecutive time that the executive contribution of racecourses to overall prize money stood at

50% or more. Racecourse Executive Contributions rose by £12.7m in 2018, with much of this due to the introduction of new Lower Race Incentive Fund and Appearance Money Scheme payments which were ‘unlocked’ by increased racecourse investment across the year. 2018 was the first year of the new three-year Prize Money arrangement; before too long we will be starting to work on what will replace it in 2021.

The implementation of the government’s decision to reduce the maximum stakes on FOBT machines in betting shops and likely falls in media rights payments as a result has already and will continue to put huge pressure on racecourses’ ability to keep prize money levels at or around where they have been in recent years. On the back of that, a lower than expected Levy yield for 2018/19 has increased the financial pressure on the sport.

Racing Report Andy Clifton

Fixture List & Race Planning The 2019 Fixture List process was completed in mid-July of last year and the Fixture List published later that month. The total number of programmed fixtures stood at 1,511 in the final version, which represented a very slight increase on the 2018 total of 1,508. As part of our position in the sport’s tripartite structure, the RCA was central to the discussions which led to the construction of the 2019 Fixture List.

Some new initiatives introduced for 2019 included breaks for Flat participants in both March and November, as well as directive that all Floodlit fixtures between January to mid-April and September to December would have a final race time of no later than 8.30pm. Both initiatives are designed to benefit jockeys and racing staff generally in a bid to give due consideration to the welfare of the sport’s participants in the fixtures and funding process.

Maintaining an excellent working relationship with the BHA Racing Department and other stakeholders in such discussions allows the RCA Racing team to ensure we are well positioned to provide our members with strong support and comprehensive communication throughout the process.

Betting Liaison GroupThe industry’s Betting Liaison Group (BLG) met for the first time in March 2018. Representatives of racecourses, horsemen, the BHA, the betting industry and the Levy Board initially concentrated on a data warehouse project that would give betting operators the comfort to share race by race turnover and gross win data on the basis that it would be used to inform decision making. We appointed PwC to manage the data collection, anonymisation and indexation and were

delighted that five of the six largest Levy paying betting operators agreed to share both retail and digital data from January 2017 and on an ongoing basis.

This data has now started to come online for racecourses, which will help to inform discussions on race programmes, race times and the fixture criteria moving forward.

The sport's relationship with betting has the potential to further evolve with our collaboration with leading bookmakers

Year Prize Money Racecourse EC

Racecourse EC %

Owners Contrubition

Owners Contribution

%

HBLB + Other

HBLB + Other %

2009 £110,461,037 £27,611,318 25% £17,379,943 16% £65,469,775 59%

2010 £98,962,667 £30,353,524 31% £15,574,949 16% £53,034,194 54%

2011 £93,892,923 £45,243,773 48% £15,349,064 16% £33,300,086 35%

2012 £97,729,738 £46,091,530 47% £15,962,168 16% £35,676,040 37%

2013 £114,222,676 £48,584,347 43% £17,837,673 16% £47,800,656 42%

2014 £122,988,698 £54,570,357 44% £20,051,059 16% £48,367,282 39%

2015 £131,803,737 £61,658,258 47% £21,692,227 16% £48,453,252 37%

2016 £137,603,058 £68,473,362 50% £22,577,546 16% £46,552,150 34%

2017 £142,536,192 £73,626,731 52% £22,328,470 16% £46,580,991 33%

2018 £166,306,475 £86,372,808 52% £24,371,710 15% £55,561,957 33%


Excellence and innovation continue to be the defining themes of the RCA’s work to enhance the raceday experience. Described as a ‘world class day out’ by VisitEngland and with three five-star VisitScotland accredited racecourses north of the border, the evidence would suggest racecourses are continuing to excel. It has been wonderful to welcome Matt Jones to the team this year as the RCA expands its coverage in this vital area.

Have a Great Day at the RacesThe RCA’s raceday experience work is spearheaded by the Have a Great Day at the Races strategy. Split into four key areas of study: Great Racing, Great Company, Great Value and Great Service, we work alongside racecourse representatives as part of the Raceday Experience Forum to delve deep into each subject. I would like to give my sincere thanks to all of our representatives on the Forum for their time and expertise.

The Power of Sport It was heartening at the 2018 Showcase & Awards to see so many new ideas make a genuine impact on people’s lives: Beverley’s deaf-friendly raceday and Uttoxeter’s prostate cancer screening initiative were particular standouts.

The power of sport in this regard cannot be underestimated. Via Racing Together, racecourses have continued to build lasting relationships within their local communities and the growth of community engagement and CSR work continues to be a real success story.

The RCA hosted the Racing Together workshop at Warwick Racecourse, itself a shining example in working with the local community under the stewardship of Andre Klein, to help racecourses build community strategies inspired by best practice from both within the sport and other fields. Outputs from Racing Together’s work continue to exceed expectations—a record number of entries were received for this category at the 2018 Showcase & Awards and this year’s Racing Together Communtiy Day, the third renewal, saw over 1500 hours donated to helping local causes.

Going GreenOver the past year the RCA has led original research projects to help inspire fresh thought and new initiatives amongst racecourses.

The first of these looked at single-use plastic. Our research took in best practice from major venues including the Emirates Stadium, The Oval and Lord's as well as HM Government and Sky Ocean Rescue. Since this research was shared, numerous green initiatives have been put into

Brand & Experience Report Paul Swain

place, including at Royal Windsor where the ARCracecourse became the first to offer eco-cups, eliminating a significant proportion of single-use plastic on a raceday.

The second interpreted Going Green in a different way—for mental health. British Racing, ably guided by Racing Welfare, has opened the conversation around promoting positive mental health and racecourses will play an integral role in ensuring the sport is as welcoming as possible for all connected.

Ascot became the first racecourse to embrace the sunflower lanyard initiative, widely used in the transport sector, to acknowledge the different needs of some racegoers, and the RCA will be providing a national version of the initiative shortly. Furthermore, we will encourage all racecourses to follow Nottingham’s lead in offering a sensory/quiet room after the Jockey Club East track’s excellent #GoRacingGreen room opened earlier this year.

Strengthening the Stable Over the past year we have put out to tender two vital components of our raceday experience work. We are delighted to confirm that Harrison:Fraser will continue as our brand and design consultants, providing first-class research from the leisure, sports and retail sectors as well as sound strategic direction.

Equally, it has been a pleasure to welcome Live Tourism to the RCA’s stable of partners to conduct the Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme. Live Tourism’s client base includes the Premier League and ECB, ensuring that racecourses are assessed in the context of other top-quality sporting venues and are able to benchmark effectively against them. The RCA is working with industry partners to open new avenues of community

engagement

Going green #2: the RCA is championing mental health awareness with all racecourses as seen at Nottingham with the first #GoRacingGreen room

Going green #1: the Raceday Experience Forum has shared best practice on removing single-use plastic from racecourses


The ninth annual Showcase & Awards, in partnership with Moët Hennessy, Racing Post, Racing Breaks and GBR, took place on Thursday 8th November at the home of our 2017 Champions, Aintree Racecourse.

The RCA’s marquee event again proved a hit with delegates as record numbers attended the Showcase Seminar and black-tie Showcase Awards dinner to celebrate the best of British Racecourses over the past year.

The RCA curated an excellent programme for the Showcase Seminar, challenging delegates to develop their venues with a series of keynote presentations ranging from racecourse best practice (Aintree & Beverley) to exemplary standards from other sports (the R&A and Sporting Edge’s Michael Caulfield). To conclude proceedings, 26 RCA Excellence Accolades were presented to racecourses demonstrating exceptional standards within their annual Quality Assured Racecourse assessment by VisitEngland and VisitScotland.

The Showcase Awards were as hotly contested as ever, with Hamilton Park claiming their first-ever Champion Racecourse prize thanks to a #TopSpot Award win on top of three other Finalist nominations. A full review of the Showcase Awards class of 2018 is presented on the following pages.


Hamilton Park Crowned Champions

Cheers: guests enjoy Moët & Chandon at the ninth annual Showcase Awards

Groundstaff Champion—WarwickThe judges were impressed with the quality of the racing surface in spite of difficult growing conditions all season.The entire Warwick Racecourse team proved an invaluable support to their community, with the judges thrilled by the creation and upkeep of a watered schooling ground to assist local horsemen.

Showcase Champion—Hamilton ParkEleven years of work under the stewardship of Vivien Currie and her team culminated in the Showcase Champion trophy. Each element of the raceday experience could be considered excellent in 2018, demonstrated by additional awards from the Racehorse Owners Association and Racegoers Club.

Outstanding Initiative—BeverleyBeverley’s Sign Language Raceday was singled out by the judges for its fantastic reach and consideration shown for all racegoers.

This initiative could have been a winner in multiple categories, but the judges felt it worthy for special praise given the excellence and innovation on show in abundance.

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Best Campaign—Goodwood Goodwood claimed the Best Campaign prize in 2018 for the Magnolia Cup campaign which retold the narrative behind the charity race by putting the competitors and their emotive stories front and centre, creating a hugely emotive countdown ahead of the event.

#TopSpot—Hamilton Park2018’s #TopSpot award went to Hamilton Park for their starting stalls lift, a unique take on an elevator which made for an immersive experience for racegoers as they enter the grandstand. Simple and effective, it made the day of countless racegoers and presented a fantastic photo opportunity.

Events—Bath The Events Award was won by Bath Racecourse for their incredible reimagination of the raceday for children. The Kids Takeover saw children running the raceday, with key roles including clerk, commentator and vet all overseen by children who would never forget their once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Community & CSR—Uttoxeter

Uttoxeter’s partnership with their local Lions club set up a screening programme for prostate cancer at the racecourse. With 100s of men tested, 75 red warnings were flagged which allowed for potentially life-saving preventative treatment.

Digital & Social Media Excellence—Ascot Ascot were crowned the Digital & Social winners in 2018 with their mobile-first strategy, promoting mobile communications and streamlining content across digital channels which were optimised for mobile.

Food & Beverage—Cheltenham Cheltenham Racecourse’s Theatre @ The Festival wowed the judges in 2018. The pan-Asian cuisine was a first in British racing and offered racegoers the chance to dine in a beautifully themed restaurant with great oriental tastes overlooking world-class jump racing.

The Love of the Sport—Sandown Park Sandown Park’s innovative idea to bring the Becher Chase at Haydock Park into their own Tingle Creek day impressed the judges by allowing customers to take in both feature races as part of one collaborative race card, thus continuing the season narrative whether you were in Esher or Lancashire.

RCA Outstanding Contribution—Trudi Moulton In Trudi’s tenure, lasting over 40 years and counting, she has taken up almost every role at Fakenham Racecourse with no fuss. Trudi is renowned amongst the local horsemen and racegoers alike for her warm welcome to the racecourse and many commented that racing at Fakenham simply would not be the same without her.

Operational Excellence—Royal Windsor Royal Windsor’s Monday night series is long established in racing, so to reimagine the series and build upon this success was a huge challenge for the team. This was achieved and then some, with new raceday themes bringing in record crowds to the Berkshire track and recruiting new converts to the Monday night club along the way.

Racing Post Readers’ Award—Cartmel Cartmel received both quantity (over a quarter of the overall, record-breaking total) and quality entries from their racegoers. The winning entry told the tale of a gentleman’s 65th birthday at the track at which every member of his party were made to feel like VIPs before an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday by the restaurant staff.

Owners’ Experience—WetherbyWetherby’s winning initiative was built on the foundations of the new owners’ facilities at the Yorkshire racecourse, which was made using feedback from regular visitors. Superb trackside viewing, a state-of-the-art reception and, of course, a warm Yorkshire welcome were extremely popular with owners and our judges alike.


Our Owners Group members enjoy exclusive visits to their trainer’s yard to watch their horse out on the gallops, receive regular updates on their horses’ training plans and receive Owners & Trainers badges, allocated by ballot, to watch their horse on race days.

The Racegoers Club's stable of horses continues to go from strength to strength. Golden Force, who is in training with Lambourn-based trainer Clive Cox, ran an impressive race at Royal Windsor at the end of the 2018 Flat season to scoop an EBF Plus 10 prize. This winning streak continued into the 2018/19 Jumps season with Jamie Snowden trained gelding, Some Day Soon, taking his owners across Great Britain and winning his last three starts at Fontwell Park, Kelso and Hexham. The Club’s other horse with Jamie Snowden, a willing mare by Presenting, named Lakeside Pearl, continues to give her Owners Group a fun day out across Great Britain with four starts this season, including scooping second place at Taunton in April.

The Racegoers Club team and its members look forward to another action-packed year ahead!

It has been another action-packed year for Racegoers Club with its 50th Anniversary celebrated throughout 2018. The celebrations proved a huge success with racecourses across Britain kindly offering over 40 race titles to highlight the Club’s longevity at which Racegoers Club members were given the opportunity to pick the best turned out horse and make

presentations to winning connections. The celebrations continued with over 30 racecourse events hosted across Britain and a total of over 2,000 members in attendance. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all racecourses for their continued support.

In its 51st year, Racegoers Club is continuing to offer regular racing fans the opportunity to enjoy additional elements of racing, including exclusive raceday packages, encouraging regular racing fans to expand their experiences to racecourse hospitality. The Club also offers behind-the-scenes tours to top trainers and leading thoroughbred stud farms. This year, Club members are looking forward to visiting Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket, Tim Easterby’s stables in Malton and Darlington based trainer, Michael Dods’ yard to name just a few. The team strives to provide exciting new events to members and welcome any suggestions for future racecourse events or visits.

A core benefit of membership of Racegoers Club continues to be the concession scheme that encourages Club members to attend British racing fixtures more regularly and boost racecourse attendance figures. The Racegoers Club voucher book scheme offers concessions at over 95% of the fixture

list and remains a key attraction to Club members to visit racecourses further afield from their local.

Racegoers Club members will also receive complimentary entry at over 40 racedays this year, which many members take advantage of and travel long distances to visit fixtures at racecourses they have never done so before.

Racegoers Club also offers affordable Owners Groups, providing the thrill of thoroughbred racehorse ownership at an affordable one-off cost. Perceptions of racehorse ownership can be that it is exclusive and expensive but by leasing the horses, the Club is able to offer well-bred horses placed with top trainers, at a fraction of the cost normally associated with ownership, encouraging racing’s fans to enjoy the full ownership experience.

Golden moment: Golden Force delights owners with victory at Royal Windsor

Behind the scenes: Club members get first access to horsemen to get the latest news about their horse

Racegoers Club Sophie Hellyer


Alongside Great British Racing and Two Circles, the RCA concluded the industry-wide programme Insight = Growth in 2018. Lasting three years, Insight = Growth saw all racecourse advance ticketing data placed into a central data warehouse to provide insight-led marketing tools for all racecourses and a genuine mosaic of racegoers, both on a national and local level.

Whilst the overall objective of Insight = Growth was to grow attendances, a vital element was to address the balance between walk-up and advance purchases which was heavily weighted in favour of the former. Advance sales are of significant importance, namely to protect attendances and revenues against outside impacts and to provide racegoers with further value on their ticket due to purchase incentives. Since inception, advance ticket sales across the industry has grown 13%.

In 2018, the horse racing industry experienced a small decline in total attendances but growth in advance tickets and advance revenue. The attendance decline was concentrated around February, owing to the extreme adverse weather, and July with the country gripped by home nation success at the FIFA World Cup. A comparative situation was seen in 2012 where horseracing was competing for attention alongside the London 2012 Olympics.

The Marketing Services programme, developed as a continuation of Insight = Growth by the RCA, GBR and Two Circles, commenced on 1st January 2019. Centred around the industry data warehouse, the programme will provide racecourses with a range of marketing support to assist in maximising the potential of the insight generated and represents a further area of value the RCA has added to racecourses nationally.

Marketing Services & AttendancesWith almost six million racegoers visiting a British Racecourse in 2018, it is unavoidable that a small number of racegoers will overstep the mark and behave in an unacceptable manner.The RCA and its members take a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour and work with a number of partners to ensure the safety and enjoyment of a day’s racing is not compromised by a minority. Alongside all racecourses, the RCA has produced detailed guidance and best practice in combatting antisocial behaviour.

As the first sporting partner of educational charity Drinkaware, British Racecourses have been pioneers amongst sporting venues in advocating responsible drinking. Via our Pace Yourself campaign, all racecourses promote free drinking water and are constantly looking at innovative means to provide racegoers with lower or zero alcohol beverages without inhibiting the experience. To date, 70 permanent racecourse staff have attended the RCA's and Drinkaware’s accredited professional and responsible service of alcohol training.

Occurrences of recreational drug use have continued to rise throughout all levels of society in the past year and as popular venues, racecourses are not exempt from this trend. The RCA has worked closely with racecourse security teams and the police to launch the You’d Be Barking campaign which has seen an increase in detection dogs and amnesty boxes at British racecourses. The message of the campaign could not be clearer—there is no place for recreational drugs at our venues.

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Racecourses are working together to promote befitting environments and good behaviour on racedays

Marketing Services provides racecourses with the tools to boost their marketing capabilities (image courtesy of Investec)


RaceTech 2018 was a transitional year for the RaceTech business as we secured long term contracts with RMG, The Racing Partnership, Ascot Racecourse Limited, the Chester Race Company and Chelmsford City Racecourse. We were also delighted to sign an agreement with Sky Sports Racing for the provision of race day presentation facilities at all of their fixtures.

Our delivery teams geared up for the new contract cycles by completing the build of five new HD scanners, doubling our fleet size, and providing capability to deliver 100% HD coverage across over 1500 fixtures in 2019. We were delighted to welcome RaceTech’s newest and largest outside broadcast unit into operation on 1st May at Ascot. Christened “OBX” the vehicle is capable of seating a maximum crew of 17 and will typically be used for feature racedays and festivals.

RaceTech Touch Screen RaceTech has continued to develop and refine its technology roadmap assessing the various remote production systems that are now starting to be used in mainstream sports broadcasting. Trials were held with RTV staff at their Ealing facility and Kempton Park Racecourse to test the suitability of remote viewing and cutting of race feeds. The trials were positive and will continue into 2019.

New Innovations RaceTech continues to drive innovation with the roll out of a new remote replay system working with the BHA to improve and develop the service we provide to stewards. We also held the first of our innovation sessions in London and York, showcasing developments such as our Touch Screen kiosks, National Hunt Timing solution and plans for in-field photo finish.

Our trainee programme continues to flourish providing talent for the future across the various roles in our business. We also welcomed Myles Francis as Health & Safety manager joining the senior leadership team.

Stephen YarbroughIn November the inquest into the death of our colleague Stephen Yarbrough at Haydock Park Racecourse on 21st July 2017 was held. The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. Steve had worked for RaceTech for over 30 years and is sadly missed.

Quality Assured Racecourse SchemeA ‘world class day out’ was how VisitEngland described a trip to the races and VisitScotland accredited three Scottish Racecourses with their highest accolade of five stars following the 2018 Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme (QARS).

The scheme, developed in 2011, provides racecourses with evidence-based feedback to help them improve their raceday experience offering year on year. The value of this feedback has been reflected in the high scores awarded.

Throughout the year, VisitEngland or VisitScotland assessors visited every British Racecourse on one of their premium days to objectively assess the raceday experience, covering all customer touchpoints and pre and post-event information. The strength in depth of the raceday experience on offer in England and Wales was demonstrated by the high benchmark score that was required to be included in the top 11 racecourses (accounting for ties). 2018’s top 11 was made up of (in alphabetical order): Aintree, Ascot, Beverley, Cheltenham, Chester, Newbury, Newmarket (July), Ripon, Uttoxeter, Wincanton and York.

It was a mightily successful year for Scottish Racecourses as Hamilton Park joined Ayr and Musselburgh in obtaining a five-star attraction rating.

The scheme also allows racecourses that excelled in specific areas of the assessment to celebrate their success through the RCA Excellence Accolades. Success in 2018 was nationwide as 26 accolades were awarded with York and Newbury both gaining recognition in three different areas.

The OBX trucks will help maintain our position at the forefront of sports broadcasting

The assessment covers all aspects of the raceday experience to help racecourses provide the best day possible

RCA Betting Advisory GroupCaroline Davies – ChairGuy Chadwell Large Independent Racecourses Patrick Chesters Large Independent RacecoursesSteve Clare Arena Racing Company/ Jockey Club RacecoursesHolly Cook RCA John Currie Independent RacecoursesDavid Roberts Arena Racing CompanyDan Thompson Independent RacecoursesDickon White Jockey Club Racecourses

RCA Medical GroupDr Iain McNeil – ChairMr James Burton MidlandsHolly Cook RCA – Co-ordinatorDr Dan Crowley North East Caroline Davies RCADr John Edwards North WestDr Marc Epps South WestDr Lucy Free SouthDr Graham Russell ScotlandDr Andy Simpson MidlandsDr Sue Smith Midlands

Raceday Experience ForumCaroline Davies - ChairIlona Barnett Independent RacecoursesSarah BullenLarge Independent RacecoursesHarriet CollinsLarge Independent RacecoursesAlex Eade Independent RacecoursesJonathan GarrattIndependent RacecoursesFraser Garrity Independent RacecoursesJo HallArena Racing CompanyRebecca Hamilton Jockey Club RacecoursesRichard Hammill Independent RacecoursesKerry Hill Jockey Club RacecoursesStephanie Hughes Large Independent RacecoursesSally Iggulden Independent Racecourses

Liam Johnson Jockey Club Racecourses Matthew JonesRCAKate McKeeIndependent RacecoursesDavid MackinnonJockey Club RacecoursesAshley MoonIndependent RacecoursesSteve Parlett Jockey Club RacecoursesMax RobertsArena Racing CompanyToby Shaw Great British RacingJuliet Slot Large Independent Racecourses Paul SwainRCAGregg Taylor Great British RacingJoanna Wales Large Independent RacecoursesRachel White Arena Racing Company

RCA Group Representatives

Safety GroupCaroline Davies – ChairPhil Atkinson Large Independent RacecoursesIlona Barnett Independent RacecoursesHolly Cook RCA Rebecca Davies Arena Racing CompanySimon Durrant Jockey Club RacecoursesSteve Horlick Independent RacecoursesDavid Mackinnon Jockey Club RacecoursesNick Russell Independent RacecoursesMick Stamp Arena Racing CompanyKatya BrowneRCAJoanna Wales Large Independent Racecourses

RCA Fixtures & Funding GroupAndy Clifton - ChairBen CookArena Racing CompanyBill FarnsworthIndependent RacecoursesFraser Garrity Independent RacecoursesEd Gretton Racecourse Media GroupPat Masterson Independent RacecoursesAndrew Morris Large Independent RacecoursesRichard Norris Jockey Club RacecoursesJon Pullin Arena Racing Company Jonjo Sanderson Independent RacecoursesJames Singer At The RacesKevin Walsh RCA Chris Ward Large Independent RacecoursesMatthew Woolston Jockey Club Racecourses

RCA Racing Group Andy Clifton – ChairEd Arkell Large Independent RacecoursesJonathan Garratt Independent RacecoursesEd Gretton Racecourse Media GroupDavid Hunter Independent RacecoursesJames Hutchinson Independent RacecoursesRichard Norris Jockey Club RacecoursesMichael Prosser Jockey Club RacecoursesJon Pullin Arena Racing CompanySulekha Varma Scottish RacecoursesKevin WalshRCA

RCA Technical GroupCaroline Davies - ChairEd Arkell Large Independent RacecoursesSimon Claisse Jockey Club Racecourses Holly Cook RCA Roderick DuncanArena Racing CompanySally Iggulden Independent RacecoursesAnthea Morshead Independent RacecoursesJon Pullin Arena Racing CompanyJames Stevenson Independent RacecoursesChris Stickels Large Independent RacecoursesKatya BrowneRCA Kirkland Tellwright Jockey Club RacecoursesSulekha Varma Scottish Racecourses

The RCA is grateful for the considerable time and expertise given by our group representatives who help shape all areas of our work throughout the year.


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Get in touch

The Racecourse Association Winkfield Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7HX

01344 873 536

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www.racecourseassociation.co.uk

@TheRCA@RCAShowcase

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