Glorious season promised for Goodwood

Despite industry and consumer recognition for the high standards set at the racecourse, the team has not been resting on its laurels.

With horse and jockey welfare at the forefront, a programme of improvements to the racecourse and the parade ring has been carried out in the winter months.

This work, combined with the additional investment from the racecourse to ensure that prize money levels are maintained, is part of a long-term strategy to clearly differentiate Goodwood within the racing industry.

Managing director Rod Fabricius said: "The economic climate is not at its brightest right now but we believe very strongly that by investing in the racing product and setting very high standards the popularity of the racecourse will continue to grow and that more people will want to come racing in 2008.

"In 2007 we were delighted to welcome over 230,000 racegoers, an increase of nine per cent on the year before. We also received the ROA's Gold Standard Award and we are keen to maintain this momentum."

The two main racecourse projects have been the recambering of Oak Tree bend and the resurfacing of the pre-parade ring.

Clerk of the course Seamus Buckley explained: "The racing surface is always our number one priority, and the track suffered a lot of wear and tear last year when we had a record number of horses compete.

"The adverse camber on a section of the far loop has always been a worry to us and it wasn't the jockeys' favourite part of the course. We have recambered that bend, which means that the camber is now falling to the running rail.

"It should ride much better now and we hope the jockeys will be happy with it once they have ridden around it, although it won't be used until the end of May."

Buckley is also keen to mention the levelling and resurfacing of the pre-parade ring.

"We have been keen to do this for some time and again I hope that owners and trainers recognise that we are always conscious of the horses' well-being."

With regards to prize money the racecourse has had to increase its executive contribution by 100,000 to make up the shortfall caused by the drop in Levy Board contributions.

As in 2007 prize money will again be 3.4m, with the Goodwood Executive contribution increasing to 550,000.

In 2008 the Coutts Glorious Stakes will be one of 28 Pattern/Listed ('Black Type') races staged during Goodwood's 22-day racing season and has been upgraded to Group Three status.

During Festival week there will be prize money increases of 5,000 each to the Betfair Gordon Stakes and the Betfair Molecomb Stakes, while the Coutts Glorious Stakes jumps in value by 20,000.

Goodwood is also making a commitment to ensure that no race will be run with less than a 5,000 prize fund.

Racing returns on May 3 and there will be six fixtures in May, the first time this has happened in the racecourse's history.

These include three themed racedays: May 3, Sport at Goodwood Raceday; May 21, Alan Ball Memorial Raceday; and May 30, Carnival Of Flying Raceday