Racing welcomes Premiership Football to Royal Windsor Racecourse

14th July 2010

FOOTBALL FURLONG – the Premiership-themed raceday – will this year be hosted by Royal Windsor Racecourse. As well as staging some top quality racing the event has confirmed the attendance of Chelsea FC’s Football in the Community team, which will add some real Premiership football flavour to the event. 

The event will see jockeys racing in the generic colours of the 20 Premiership football clubs rather than the traditional silks of the owners of the horses they are riding.

The horses and jockeys accrue points for the teams that they represent, which go towards a league table throughout the day’s racing. The team with the highest number of points after the sixth race on Sunday, 8 August 2010 will be crowned the 2010 Football Furlong champion.

Chelsea FC will be supporting the event through its Football in the Community programme by running free football masterclasses for up to 2,000 children at the racecourse before racing starts. There will also be a host of other football related activities including a penalty shoot out, human football tables and appearances from Premiership footballers and football personalities. 

With all accompanied children under the age of 18 being admitted to the racecourse free of charge, and adult admission starting at just £9, it's an affordable day out for all the family.

Matthew Foxton-Duffy, Sales & Marketing Manager at Royal Windsor Racecourse, said: “Football Furlong is an extremely exciting prospect, which has proved very successful in recent years at Haydock Park and Leopardstown Racecourses. It is a groundbreaking initiative that has been added to the Royal Windsor Racecourse fixtures calendar, and we look forward to welcoming a new crowd of racing fans to the racecourse and to the sport.

“With the event being held on the same day as the FA Community Shield it will be great to see how Chelsea and Manchester United fare in a horseracing environment.”

Before racing begins at Royal Windsor Racecourse, the 2010 Football Furlong Mascot Challenge will be run, with sporting mascots galloping along the final furlong of the racecourse. The first three mascots across the line qualify for a special penalty shootout against a top goalkeeper.

Gates open at Royal Windsor Racecourse on Sunday, 8 August at 12pm.  The first race is at 2.30pm.  Admission: £9 Silver Ring Enclosure; £17 Grandstand Enclosure; £23 Club Enclosure.  Racegoers under 18 free when accompanied by an adult. More details about Royal Windsor Racecourse can be found at www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk

ENDS 

For further information, please contact: 

Matthew Foxton-Duffy, Sales & Marketing Manager at Royal Windsor Racecourse, on 01753 498 442; or Rod Kohler at Football Furlong on 0207 928 9999.