Musselburgh crowned champion racecourse at RCA Showcase Awards - but chief executive has his car stolen

Thursday was a decidedly mixed night for Musselburgh as it was named overall champion racecourse at the 12th annual Racecourse Association Showcase Awards but the course was broken into and chief executive Bill Farnsworth had his car stolen.

It took the title after winning three prizes at a ceremony held at Aintree racecourse, including the Racing Post Readers’ Award, which asks the public to nominate their favourite course based on raceday experience, customer service and value for money.

Musselburgh scored the highest average across those three metrics and polled almost 20 per cent of the overall votes. It also won in the marketing and food and beverage categories.

“Musselburgh Racecourse are worthy champions and join our esteemed Showcase list,” said RCA Chairman Wilf Walsh.

“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.”

Farnsworth said on Friday: “We have had a very good year. We were blessed with good weather, we have a very dedicated and committed team and when a group of talented individuals work together as a team it produces great results.

“But it has been a mixed night. I got back to the hotel and found that my car had been stolen. And I heard that the course has been broken into - and they made a proper mess of it, smashing up a bar.”

The awards, hosted by Rishi Persad and world boxing champion Natasha Jonas and presented by the RCA in partnership with Great British Racing, Racing Together, the Racing Foundation and Racing Post, celebrate best practice on Britain’s courses.

Three other Scottish tracks were recognised, with Hamilton Park winning the RCA/ROA Owners’ Racecourse of the Year award, in which owners nominated courses based on their raceday experience. Hamilton received the highest average score across the criteria and also the highest quantum of votes overall.

Perth won the Diversity and Inclusion category, thanks to the first headline-billed Pride Raceday in British racing, and Ayr’s work to partner with Ayrshire Cancer Support was acknowledged by the judges in the Racing Together Community Award.

Plumpton was crowned groundstaff champion while the Jockey Club received the Chairman’s Award for operational excellence, which has only been presented a handful of times previously.

Ascot claimed the second Racing Foundation Green Award for its Racing to Zero programme. It will now receive a fast-tracked route to bid for up to £20,000 from the Racing Foundation to support the legacy of its work.

Chepstow’s inaugural Welsh Jump Jockeys’ Derby took the Racing Connection award thanks to its success in raising funds and awareness for children’s cancer charity Latch and promoting Welsh jockeys to the wider British public.

Other winners included Pontefract (in the raceday category) and Salisbury (non-raceday).

Walsh 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.”

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