Chester Races 2011 race season drew to a close on Saturday with the Chester Finale which brought crowds of over 20,000 to the historic Roodee to celebrate the end of the season.  As well as seven exciting races throughout the afternoon race goers were treated to special performances by the City of Chester Brass Band and Parade Ring fashion shows courtesy of Golden Square shopping centre.

2011 has been a fantastic year for Chester Racecourse with a brand new Ladies Day fixture in June bringing the total number of race-days to fourteen, with an average attendance of 22,300.  The record breaking season has seen a total attendance of over 310,000, the first time that annual figures have hit the 300,000 mark.

Chester Racecourse’s hospitality offerings continue to increase in popularity, ranging from restaurants to private boxes, with an increase of an additional 4,000 covers vs. 2010.  During the season over 27,000 people have been catered for in hospitality. Five couples have chosen race-days to get married at the famous course during 2011.  The catering concepts on the course have also been very popular with some new additions creating authentic Asian wok fried noodles and traditional fish and chips getting though 320 kg of chips and 15 stone of fresh haddock each race day.  Thirsty race goers have enjoyed over 12,000 jugs of iced Pimms and have shared a grand total of 56,000 bottles of Champagne, many of them toasting their winners’ at the course. 

The Chester Races mix of fashion, musical entertainment, family fun, great food and drink, combined with some top class racing has proven to be a recipe for another successful year. 

The quality of horseracing has been top class, with the season’s highlight being Overturn winning the Chester Cup, front running all the way, for Grand National winning local trainer Donald McCain Jnr. Treasure Beach won the Chester Vase, in the process beating Nathaniel, and both colts have since gone on to win at Group 1 level this Summer.  Treasure Beach, trained by Aiden O'Brien won the Irish Derby and Nathaniel went on to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Richard Thomas, Chief Executive commented; “2011 has been a great year for Chester, with a packed spring and summer of events and we are thrilled to have been part of it, making our city a great place to live and visit”.
The economic impact of the 2011 race season on the city has been estimated at approximately £30m, with visiting race-goers spending an average of £100 in the city on accommodation, food and drink, shopping and other entertainment.  And this year there were an additional 20,000 of them in comparison with 2010.  It is also thanks to these race-goers that over £23,000 has been raised for various local charities at gate collections, including St. Luke’s Hospice and Claire House.

The Racecourse also assists the local community by employing 750 members of staff each raceday, bringing the total number of shifts created over the season to 10500. 

Rob March, Head of Marketing and Communications added; “In addition to our 14 race-days the Roodee has been host to a number of very special events which have all contributed to a terrific summer  including the Coutts Polo and Audi Royal Polo events, and the first year of the Chester Rocks music event.  The polo events brought celebrity, royalty and glamour to the Roodee, and an opportunity for local people to experience something new and exciting.  Chester Rocks music event combined the worlds of pop, rock and indie music over two gloriously sunny days in July, offering something for all music tastes.  2011 has been a very exciting year for us, and we hope to create bigger and better events in 2012”.

Phil Dougherty, Catering Manager commented; “The catering division at Chester Racecourse can’t stop for breath for long with a busy Christmas party season just around the corner.  In addition to ten party nights at Chester, the team are also catering for 25 party nights between Tatton Park and Knowsley Hall, catering for an incredible 40,000 people during December”.

Tickets for the 2012 season at Chester Racecourse went on sale from Monday 26th September 2011. 

Prices for tickets and badges will be held at 2011 prices until 22nd December.
For further information please contact the Box Office on 01244 304 610 or visit chester-races.com.
 

For further information please contact:
Rob March
Head of Marketing and Communications
Chester Race Company Ltd.

T: 01244 304 634  M: 07850 509 676