MUSSELBURGH Racecourse has been named as the champion racecourse at the 12th annual Racecourse Association (RCA) Showcase Awards.
The East Lothian track picked up three individual awards en route to being named as the overall champion for 2023 – the Racing Post Readers’ Award and the Marketing and Food & Beverage Awards.
The Racing Post Readers’ Award asked the racing public to nominate their favourite racecourse based on raceday experience, customer service and value for money. Musselburgh scored the highest average across these metrics and polled nearly 20 per cent of the overall votes.
A spokesperson for Musselburgh Racecourse said its "continued drive for excellence" in food and beverage was evident in the Pinkie’s Deli, a Taste of Scotland’s Larder initiative. A move to a more locally sourced and evidence-based menu was a "resounding success" with racegoers, with the racecourse seen as "best-in-class throughout British racing for its fantastic food and drink offerings", they added.
As a highly successful one-off event in 2019, the Corgi Derby returned to Musselburgh and this time was integral to a campaign which won the marketing category. Musselburgh’s use of data to target specific demographics and tailor the messaging, ticket packages and raceday experience was deemed best-in-class by the judges, with the results clearly showing a "hugely impressive return".
The East Lothian racecourse was also a finalist in two other categories on the night, demonstrating a racecourse operating to the highest standards on multiple fronts, said the judges.
Bill Farnsworth, Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, said: "Musselburgh joins a small group of eight illustrious Showcase Champions and it certainly felt as if all the other racecourses represented at the awards were particularly pleased that Musselburgh had won.
"I am incredibly proud of the team here at Musselburgh, who have shown incredible resilience over the past few years and have been resolute in their commitment to the racecourse and to putting on a fantastic experience for our customers and participants.
"The staff at Musselburgh never stand still and are totally committed to making sure all our visitors have the best possible ‘Musselburgh’ experience.
"To deliver on so many levels with limited resources is a truly fantastic achievement and we can all be extremely proud of what Musselburgh has achieved."
The gala event, held at Aintree Racecourse, was presented by the RCA and partnered by Great British Racing, Racing Together, the Racing Foundation and Racing Post.
Alongside Musselburgh’s three award wins and champion crown, it was described as a "fantastic night" for Scottish Racing as a whole, with wins for Hamilton Park, Perth and Ayr, while Kelso received a Highly Commended accolade from the independent judging panel.
Wilf Walsh, RCA chairman, said: "Our class of 2023 represents a range of racecourses operating at the highest level in their respective fields and I am encouraged by the levels of innovation shown as we look to attract and retain racegoers.
"Musselburgh Racecourse are worthy champions and join our esteemed showcase list. With five finalist nominations and three victories, there can be little doubt this is a racecourse team that deeply cares about their customers, participants and place within the local community."
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