Goodwood nominated for trio of racing awards

Goodwood is in the frame for three honours in the Racecourse Association Showcase awards.
Exploring the features at Goodwood / Picture by Malcolm WellsExploring the features at Goodwood / Picture by Malcolm Wells
Exploring the features at Goodwood / Picture by Malcolm Wells

The awards celebrate excellence and innovation in racecourse customer experience. The finalists were decided after a day of intense voting and decision-making from the panel of six independent judges.

A winner in each category, as well as an overall champion cacecourse, will be decided at the RCA’s annual marquee Showcase and Awards event at Aintree Racecourse, the reigning showcase champions, on November 8.

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The list of finalists across the ten categories covers 25 racecourses in total. Hamilton Park and Royal Windsor lead the way with four nominations each, while Ascot, Beverley, Goodwood, Newbury, Newmarket, Sandown Park and Uttoxeter have three each.

Racecourses named as finalists in two or more categories are invited to submit an entry for champion racecourse.

Caroline Davies, the RCA’s racecourse services director, said: “It is one of the most exciting times of year to see the Showcase submissions go before the judges. We were thrilled to see the number of racecourses engage with the Awards increase this year which shows the care and attention given to enhancing the raceday experience.

“The diversity amongst the finalists demonstrates both the quality and variety of the experience on offer across all our racecourses. Congratulations to all of our finalists – to be nominated as such is a great achievement in itself. The countdown to Aintree on November 8 is now on to see who will join our esteemed list of winners.”

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Rain dampens end of a vintage seasonChanging of the guard for Goodwood ownersIn the Best Campaign category, Goodwood is nominated for the Magnolia Cup, the successful funuidraising annual ladies’ race which nets about £200,000 a year for charity. Goodwood are up against Aintree, Cartmel, Pontefract and Worcester.

In the Love of the Sport category, Goodwood is shortlisted for its ‘Recognising the Commitment of Racing Staff’ campaign and is in competition with Market Rasen, Newton Abbot, Sandown Park and Thirsk.

In the operational excellence category, goodwood is a contender for its Richmond Enclosure improvements and is up against Doncaster, Hamilton Park, Newbury and Royal Windsor.

Goodwood racecourse manager Alex Eade said: “Just to have been nominated as finalists in three categories is a huge achievement for the team and recognises the effort that everyone has put in throughout the season.

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“The Magnolia Cup was an enormous success and it is fantastic that the race has been shortlisted for Best Campaign.

“The new Champagne Bar was a huge undertaking, but the end result is breath-taking and finishes the improvements we have made to the Richmond Enclosure, so it is great that the judges selected this work for Operational Excellence.

“Love the Sport is always a very tough category to be nominated for, so we are particularly pleased that the work we have done to recognise the commitment of racing staff has been shortlisted.”