Horse Racing: Great season ahead at Wincanton

WINCANTON Racecourse enters the new 2013-14 jump season on Thursday, October 17, and course officials are looking forward to some great racing.

This year, the season looks to be as attractive as ever, for all those that visit the racecourse, with strong level of prize money on offer to owners and exclusive deals for all customers.

For the winter period, owners will experience enhanced prize money with the average raceday total prize fund to exceed £78,000 and over £200,000 total prize fund for Wincanton’s November 9 showcase that includes the Badger Ales Trophy and Elite Hurdle.

This signifies a much valued investment into rural racing with a 28% increase in both total prize money for the October to December period and a further 28% raceday increase.

Jockey Club Racecourses has also committed to contribute into prize money at least 40% of its betting-related media growth for the next three years to ensure all parties enjoy a fair share of the sport’s commercial success.

While The Jockey Club already puts every penny of its profits back into British racing for the long-term health of the sport, this agreement is the first time prize money contributions from racecourses become contractual commitments with horsemen, underpinned by the governing body, the British Horseracing Authority.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Paul Nicholls' excellent Big Bucks in the parade ring at last year's opening day of the 2012-13 season at Wincanton Racecourse.

PHOTOS: All the photos on this page were taken during the opening day of the 2012-13 season at Wincanton Racecourse last year.

Racegoers, for the first time ever, will have the chance to receive a staggering £10 discount on advance Boxing Day tickets – seeing entry to Somerset’s most popular meeting of the year valued at just £8 for Grandstand and £15 Premier tickets.  The offer closes on October 31 giving racegoers over a month to plan ahead for the fabulous festive fixture.

Once again, Wincanton will repeat the hugely successful £5 discount on all advance tickets for their opening meeting – Under Starters Orders - on Thursday, October 17.

With advance entry available at a £9 bargain, racegoers will experience a parade of racehorses featuring some of the stars from the West Country to include the legendary Big Bucks, Celestial Halo, Cue Card, Theatrical Star and Grands Crus, a six competitive racecard plus the launch of the new Wincanton Golf Challenge. 

Furthermore, via a South West regional initiative, a £10 Cheltenham Festival: Champion Hurdle Day voucher will be available for all racegoers who purchase advance tickets to Wincanton’s Kingwell Hurdle Champion Hurdle trial on Saturday, February 15, 2014.

Steve Parlett, Wincanton’s general manager, said: “Earlier this year, Wincanton featured within Visit England’s Top Ten Racecourses for customer experience – an accolade that we are immensely proud to have achieved.  Our next challenge is to continue to ensure that we deliver value for money and these exclusive deals do just that!

“We are also proud of our increased prize money and our long-term re-investment into Wincanton Racecourse, for which we already attract an average nine-runner-per-race and we will be looking to build on this.”

Advance ticket deals and additional information about Wincanton’s seasonal racedays is available online at wincantonracecourse.co.uk or call 0844-5793014.

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