Go Racing in Yorkshire Guest Blog – Charlotte Russell, General Manager at GRIY
Go Racing In Yorkshire Season Ticket
A phrase that often comes up in conversation at this time of year is,
“So you’ll be getting quieter as the flat season comes to an end?”
Well, actually, no! And that is also true of the flat courses! For us at Go Racing In Yorkshire HQ, we still have three courses jump racing, with 36 jump fixtures between them, but our main focus right now is getting everything ready for Season Ticket renewals and sales.
If you are a keen racing fan and haven’t heard of the season ticket then read on! If you are already a season ticket holder, look out for the correspondence inviting you to renew.
The Go Racing In Yorkshire season ticket has been around for 45 years, that’s about half the amount of time that Mr Gundill has been running Pontefract Racecourse!
Recognising that there are enthusiastic and passionate racegoers in the county, the season ticket was created to offer a value for money day out to these loyal supporters of our wonderful sport.
While the name (it was originally called a passport) and delivery has changed over the years, the core concept remains the same, but it’s more than just a day at the races.
The season ticket offers Grandstand & Paddock admission at every fixture at Yorkshire’s nine racecourses, that’s about 182 race meetings. Yes, that includes Grandstand & Paddock at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival and the Betfred St Leger meeting.
Other tangible benefits include reciprocals with Yorkshire County Cricket Club, hospitality discounts at some of the courses and the option to upgrade on the day if space allows.
Trialled in 2023 and extended in 2024, we have held some ‘club days’, including at Pontefract in September. This brings together those season ticket holders who would like to meet up with others in a racecourse facility, with tea and coffee in abundance! At Pontefract, raceday announcer Andrew Thornton ran us through the card and although we got off to a fairly bleak start, he did produce a couple of winners as the day went on!
At some of these club days and on some other occasions, we have been able to offer season ticket holders the opportunity to get into the Parade Ring and choose the best turned out horse and make the presentation to winning connections after the race. This is real ‘bucket list’ stuff for some, who take the responsibility very seriously and take time to enjoy the privilege of being that bit closer to the horses with a little more space to see.
Another new initiative is a WhatsApp group – absolutely not compulsory, but set up with the aim of connecting racegoers who tend to turn up on their own but want to meet up with others on arrival and compare notes on the days runners.
A season ticket holder is fairly obvious to spot – if you see the same face every time you visit a Yorkshire course and it’s not a trainer or a jockey, then it’s probably a season ticket holder and if they’re not then they certainly should be!
The benefits of being a season ticket holder can’t all be listed on the website as some of them can’t be quantified, but going racing and seeing our band of merry men and women, I can tell you what they are. In short, racing is good for you!
Most of our demographic are retired – in general they’re the only people available to turn up at every weekday fixture. With time on their hands and an active brain, a day out at the races keeps the faculties working. A season ticket means that no planning is required, simply turn up, get the badge scanned and in you go. If you can’t get there for the first, or need to leave before the last, you’re still getting value for money.
We all know it’s good for us to get outside, whatever the weather and racing offers just that. The season ticket holders tend to know who each other are and look out for each other. If someone is conspicuous by their absence you can guarantee that enquiries into their wellbeing will be made.
I’ve had instances where someone had decided not to renew as they no longer drive, only to receive a phone call a week later to say they are changing their mind because their neighbouring season ticket holder is going to give them lifts. There is a strong community spirit and new season ticket holders will be welcomed straight away.
In general, they are more traditional racegoers, in attendance for the love of the horse and the sport and I have been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the support of this enthusiastic sector of our racing community when I rode in the charity race at York. From sponsorship, encouraging texts and emails right down to riding instructions, they were with me to the finishing line and casual chats on-course are often the highlight of my day, although I wouldn’t necessarily tell them all that!
The season ticket runs from 1st April to 31st March each year. Applications need to be in by the end of February and a personalised photo ID card will be sent out prior to the 1st April, which just needs scanning at the racecourse entrance. A single ticket for 2025/26 will be £460 and even more value is offered with a joint ticket which will cost £770.
While this represents excellent value – about £2.53 per race meeting, it can be a lot of money to find at once, so, new for 2025, we are aiming to introduce an option which allows both new and returning season ticket holders to spread the payments. More information will be available on our website soon.
Tickets can be purchased online, from our website or by sending a cheque with the relevant details. Please email me if you would like more information or to discuss the season ticket and how to make a purchase. We are conscious that while we live in an increasingly technological world, not all of our season ticket holders, existing and new, are au fait with this and we want to make sure that everyone who wants one, can get a season ticket, so if you are struggling, get in touch and we can make a plan.