racing_news/

Ground and facilities ready at Royal Windsor for start of summer season
14/04/05

Windsor Racecourse is ready for an even busier summer season than ever. With neighbouring Ascot closed this summer, demand at Windsor has been high. Much work has taken place over the winter months and many significant improvements have taken place to benefit racegoers, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.

Mild weather since the National Hunt meeting at Christmas has assisted in the repair of the racing surface, which is now in excellent condition with a full cover of grass. The ground is currently described as Good to Firm and, if the forecasted rain on Wednesday and Thursday fails to materialise, watering will take place as necessary to maintain the ground at Good to Firm.

Following the straight being widened 18 months ago, the ground has now settled to enable the straight between the 6f and 3 1/2f markers to be split into two separate courses. The objective is to improve the turf management and thereby improve the ground conditions on one of the most worn area of the track. Peter Hobbs (Jockey Club Course Inspector) and Fergus Sweeney (Jockeys' Safety Officer) have both visited and given the new layout the green light.

The horsebox park has been completely resurfaced and refurbishment works have taken place in the Lads and Ladies Hostels and the Stables Canteen. We will again be offering free tea, coffee and water to stable hands and horsebox drivers.

Royal Windsor Racecourse - The Place To Be This Summer!

The ever-popular Monday evening race meetings at Royal Windsor begin again on Monday, April 18. Over the winter months many improvements to facilities have taken place. The heart and soul of the course has always been the busy paddock lawn area, this has been sympathetically landscaped and benefits from a beautiful river frontage and spectacular views through to Windsor Castle.

With neighbouring Ascot closed this year, demand has reached unprecedented levels. At some of the busiest meetings during the summer, additional marquees have been ordered for the centre of the course to cope with the massive increase in corporate and private parties.

As well as the hugely successful charity race nights at Windsor, which begin in May, many of the meetings will feature themed events and live bands including:

Royal Ascot at York Monday - June 13
Festival Weekend - June 25-27
Irish Night - Monday, July 11
Ladies Night - Monday, August 1
Caribbean Carnival - Monday, August 22
Summer Season Finale - Saturday, August 27

Ted Taylor, Managing Director at Royal Windsor, said: "We have made a number of improvements since the end of last season - the course and facilities are looking magnificent. I can think of no better place to be on a balmy Monday evening in the summer than sitting on the lawn at Royal Windsor Racecourse with a glass of champagne, watching the racing and boats sailing by on the River Thames. It will be a truly magnificent summer!"

A loyalty scheme for regular racegoers to be rewarded for their patronage is now in place, entitling visitors on their sixth visit into the Grandstand enclosure to enter for free. In addition all online bookings (www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk) will automatically receive a minimum discount of 15%.

The racecourse will be holding 28 race meetings from April 18 through to December 17. These will include five fixtures transferred from Ascot, four of which will be televised on the BBC. National Hunt racing will return for a second year running on November 18 & 19 and December 16 & 17.