Warwick hoping to build on egg-cellent start to the year

Flat racing returns to Warwick next Thursday when the course stages its family-themed Easter Holiday Egg-stravaganza meeting, writes David Hucker.
Confidence is high at Warwick Racecourse ahead of the start of the Flat season following an increase in attendances.Confidence is high at Warwick Racecourse ahead of the start of the Flat season following an increase in attendances.
Confidence is high at Warwick Racecourse ahead of the start of the Flat season following an increase in attendances.

After a successful jumps campaign which saw every fixture completed despite the wet weather, officials will be hoping the summer brings plenty of sunshine and large crowds to make it a memorable 2014.

The signs are hopeful as figures from the Racecourse Association show that, after a dismal year in 2012 when Warwick lost a quarter of its fixtures to bad weather, the last 12 months brought an upturn in fortunes.

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Total attendances were 41,845, with an average over the 20 meetings of 2,092, up 20 per cent on the previous year.

Although flat racing on turf did not start until the end of last month, there has been racing on the all-weather tracks right through the winter, culminating in a £1m championship meeting at Lingfield Park today, the first time racing has taken place on Good Friday.

Mark Johnston and Marco Botti have dominated the trainers’ table with Adam Kirby, Luke Morris and Joe Fanning the leading jockeys.

At Warwick, Richard Hannon Snr, David Evans and Johnston have been the leading trainers over the last five years.

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Hannon has handed over the reins to his son Richard Jr, but it is very much business as usual at their Wiltshire yard with the new trainer already firing in the winners.

Neil Callan and Tom Queally are the leading jockeys but, this year, Queally will be without the support of the Lady Cecil stable having decided to go freelance.

Dual champion jockey Richard Hughes will be missing from the meeting, having decided to delay his return from an injury sustained in Dubai last month until Friday.

The six-race card gets underway at 2.10pm with the Breeders Backing Racing EBF Maiden Stakes over six furlongs and rounds off with the George And Irene Ruby Anniversary Handicap over a mile at 4.40pm.

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Highlight of the meeting is the class 3 Follow Us On Twitter @WarwickRaces Conditions Stakes over six furlongs.

As well as the racing, there will be a children’s Easter egg trail, circus workshops and balloon modelling.

Gates open at 12.10pm and children 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

Entry costs from £10 and there is ample free parking in the centre of the course.

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Looking to the future, the importance of the racecourse to the area’s recreation and leisure facilities has been reinforced in Warwick District Council’s draft Local Plan published last Friday.

However, the plan also says that any development will “need to be sensitive to the heritage assets, the setting of the town, the ongoing enjoyment of the area for recreational purposes and the need to maintain local habitats and biodiversity”.

The council proposes to work with the course to create a masterplan for the area which ensures its “ongoing vitality and viability” while restricting uses to those associated with visitor accommodation, recreation, leisure and horse racing.