Standards To Set The Pace at Goodwood in 2008 Standards To Set The Pace At Goodwood in 2008 Launch of Season 2008 Racing returns to Goodwood on Saturday, May 3, and top of the agenda for 2008 is horse welfare and the quality of the racing product. 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 it?s 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 re-cambering 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 jockey?s favourite part of the course. We have re-cambered 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 re-surfacing 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 horse?s wellbeing.? With regards to prize money the racecourse has had to increase its Executive Contribution by #100,000 to make up the short fall caused by the drop in Levy Board contributions. As in 2007 prize money will again be #3.4 million, with the Goodwood Executive contribution increasing to #550,000. Rod Fabricius said: ?It is imperative that Goodwood is synonymous with high quality racing and despite the fact that the Levy Board contribution has declined it is important that we protect prize money and ensure that owners and trainers will always be competing for attractive purses when racing at Goodwood.? 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. During the winter months there have also been some personnel changes and Managing Director Rod Fabricius is delighted that former Tote Chairman, Peter Jones has joined the Board of Directors as a Non-Executive Director. He commented: ?It is fantastic news for the Racecourse that Peter has been appointed as a Board Director. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience of the racing industry and we intend utilising him as much as we possibly can? Another new arrival is Marketing & PR Manager, Callum MacKay. The appointment has been made in recognition that racecourses generally have to be more competitive in targeting consumers and that they are competing not only with one another but within the leisure industry generally. One of MacKay?s first projects has been to create more themed racedays and Rod Fabricius is happy that the new themes are in keeping with the Goodwood philosophy. Fabricius continued: ?When we were looking for a Marketing & PR Manager we were keen to get someone who understood Goodwood the brand, its values and promote them sympathetically. I?m pleased that the initial ideas put forward have tapped into not only what makes the Racecourse unique but also the Goodwood Estate? said Fabricius Racing returns on May 3 and there will be six fixtures in May, the first time this has happened in the racecourse?s history. Key themed days early in the season will be: May 3, Sport at Goodwood Raceday May 21, Alan Ball Memorial Raceday May 30, Carnival Of Flying Raceday June 6, A Taste of Goodwood, Sussex and beyond. June 13, Frankie Dettori 21st Anniversary Racenight July 30, Sir Peter O?Sullevan Celebration Raceday
