The 2014 season at Beverley starts next Wednesday (April 16) – the first of 19 days’ racing on the Flat this year on the Westwood – which includes a trio of evening meetings.
To celebrate the Easter holidays, possibly the world’s first ‘Easter Egg Tree’ will be bearing ‘fruit’ of some 500 chocolate eggs for racegoers to pick and take away! Also, giant white rabbit stilt-walkers will keep the youngsters amused.
Some £750,000 has been spent on new build and refurbishment of the racecourse facilities over the winter. This includes the creation of Cleverly’s Bistro & Bar, named after the long-serving Beverley stalwart, John Cleverly, who next month, steps down as a Director of the race company. This new addition will enhance the dining experience in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure, while the removal of the steppings from the first floor of the Grandstand now affords a spectacular view from the area. In addition, the award-winning Whistlejackets real Ale Bar has been significantly enlarged and refurbished. Local brewery, Wold Top will continue to serve a range of real ales from this bar, including the blend especially brewed for Beverley Racecourse, ‘Race Sauce’.
Racegoers will also notice a facelift to the front of the racecourse, where refurbishment work has included re-cladding the rear of the stands along with new signage and the addition of clock towers to the main entrances. The landmark Judges Tower has also undergone renovation and now resembles a clock tower.
Last year, Beverley Racecourse was once again victorious at the Racecourse Association Showcase Awards – the only industry-recognised awards – winning the Campaign Award for annual Journal Ladies Day. This year’s event takes place on Wednesday, August 13 and sees Hull’s premier shopping venue, St. Stephen’s, become an official partner to the fashion show.
Wednesday’s seven-race programme begins at 1-55 p.m. and the feature race is The World’s First Easter Egg Tree Handicap Stakes, a contest for sprinters over the minimum distance of five furlongs. Racehorse Trader put their name to three races to promote a revolutionary way of buying and selling racehorses and thoroughbred stock via the internet.
Two-Year-Olds take part The New Cleverly’s Bar & Bistro Maiden Auction Stakes, while it’s the turn of three-year-olds in The Randall’s Folly Stakes (a Handicap contest over the extended seven furlongs) and The Manor Farm Feeds Fed Woodhouse Pigs (one mile and a half).
The giant screen will assist race-goers to follow all of the action, including racing from the Craven Meeting at Newmarket.
Once again, Middleham-based Mark Johnston was the leading trainer at Beverley, recording an impressive 15 winners last season, while Paul Mulrennan and Joe Fanning both rode seven winners to be the competition to be the course’s top rider. It was Mulrennan who prevailed, having recorded more placed efforts than his rival.