Good Friday racing approved for 2014

Good Friday has been a day traditionally free of racing fixtures in the UK. But that could change in 2014 after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) “approved the principle” of racing taking place on Good Friday. The 2014 fixture list is due to be published shortly and we will see which courses are allocated a fixture for Good Friday – Friday 18 April.

One concern was that the racing stable open days which take place at Middleham and Lambourn on Good Friday would be hurt by racing taking place on the same day.

But Rod Street, chief executive of Great British Racing, reasoned (albeit in the language of marketing non-speak): "We have long been advocates of making the sport more customer-focussed and these new initiatives are progressive. Good Friday will deliver significant new revenues and give our many different customers a compelling reason to participate on an important leisure day.

"A well-coordinated national promotion of Good Friday fixtures will ensure it is a special racing day. It also provides the opportunity to give more exposure to the excellent stable Open Days as part of a broader publicity campaign. We support the BHA in placing minimum performance criteria against the Good Friday fixtures they award, which will promote good quality racing and customer led marketing initiatives.”

A further interesting development in the 2014 fixture list is the creation of a British Champions Weekend. It will see Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Day moved to the day before Qipco British Champions Day. The British Champions Weekend will, therefore, feature six Group One races and GB£4.5 million in prize money.

The British Champions Weekend could be seen as a response to Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) July announcement of its own Champions Weekend to be held on 13-14 September 2014. HRI’s CEO Brian Kavanagh said the Irish Champions Weekend will feature 10 Group race, including five Group One contests (so the BHA has outdone the HRI with six).

13 September 2014 will host the Champions Stakes at Leopardstown, and the following day will have the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.

The HRI’s announcement ruffled feathers at Doncaster and Ladbrokes because it clashes with the St Leger on Town Moor, which Ladbrokes has done so much to improve and promote through its sponsorship.

Whatever the racing politics, it does mean that the late summer, early autumn period is getting pretty stacked with some top quality racing in 2014, particularly when you throw Arc weekend into the mix too. Racegoers might face some difficult decisions as to which meetings to attend.

Good Friday Racing Open Days

Good Friday is traditionally one of the few days in the UK racing calendar when no racing is scheduled. But for the racing enthusiast it provides an opportunity to visit one of the racing stable open days that take place.

In the north of England the racing centre at Middleham is celebrating its 20th Good Friday open day. Visitors can see behind the scenes at a number of trainers’ stables, see horses working and taking a dip in the equine pool.

Trainers opening their stable doors include: Mark Johnston, Micky Hammond, George Moore, Jedd O’Keeffe, James Bethell, and Ann Duffield.

Middleham Castle overlooks many of the racing stables in the town and was the sometime childhood home of King Richard III, whose remains were found in Leicester in 2012.

King Richard was a man who knew the importance of a horse and incredibly he has given an endorsement to the Middleham Open Day on the website, saying:

“You don’t need to be racing enthusiasts as there’s something for everyone to do … It really is a great family day out.”

There will also be a guest appearance by last year’s Grand National winner Neptune Collonges.

When I last went to the open day a few years ago the Methodist Church on Park Lane was serving some excellent scones and cakes. If they are still serving doing it, it is worth a visit for a well-earned cup of tea and a cake (or two) as a restorative after a morning’s walking up hill and down dale from stable to stable.

In 2013 Good Friday and Easter have become a talking point in Flat racing circles because of the somewhat chaotic and limp start to the new season.

Regardless of the weather, which eventually caused the postponement of the second day of Doncaster’s Lincoln meeting, there would have been a week’s break between the first Flat turf meeting of 2013 and the second meeting.

Trainer George Baker has commented:

“By some strange quirk of the Programme Book* (the powers that be blaming Easter...), there is no turf flat racing after Doncaster for a week. A strange way to usher in a new season. Easter ?? We have it every year, and every year we know some years in advance (if we so wish) when it will fall. So surely not beyond the wit of man to organise a more structured start to the turf season. Two days at Doncaster, and then nothing for a week does not make much sense.....

This year, probably more by luck than judgement, it is just as well that the betting shop fodder of all weather dross will fill the gap. As Great Britain slips steadily into the North Sea, most turf tracks will be unraceable anyway....”

*The Programme Book is published by Weatherbys and contains the race conditions for all UK races. Trainers use the Programme Book to help plan suitable races for their horse through the season.