World’s Oldest Racecourse Still Pushing Boundaries
Chester Racecourse, recently crowned the world’s oldest racecourse still in operation with its 480th anniversary, has once again struck the fine balance of heritage vs innovation with a rollout of a series of luxurious improvements.
A brand-new, state of the art Weighing Room, Jockeys Changing Rooms and Owners and Trainers viewing deck were unveiled on the first day of a new season at Chester during the Boodles May Festival on Wednesday 8th May 2019.
The upgraded facilities will offer the elite sportsmen and women in racing an unrivalled experience at the racecourse, pre-and-post racing. Inspired by footballs Premier League dressing room experience, The Weighing Room and Jockeys Changing Rooms have been refurbished and upgraded to recognise the calibre of professional horsemen and women that attend Chester Racecourse every season and will provide them with the highest standard of facilities.
Work started at the beginning of February, in conjunction with the installation of a new 185 square metre viewing deck for Owners and Trainers above the Weighing Room and a new track-side hospitality facility within the paddock; Parade with Aiden Byrne.
Designed with a sleek, modern aesthetic and with the aim of creating the ultimate preparation and relaxation area, the changing rooms space has been transformed. The new facilities include personalised pods, a wider bench area for jockeys to lie down on, special benches for valets, padded cushion seats, TVs and new catering facilities, as well as special touches such as individual USB points.
General Manager of Chester Racecourse, Andrew Morris, comments: “The horses and jockeys are the stars of the show and it of the utmost importance that we provide them with exceptional amenities. The upgrades highlight the importance in the consistency of meticulous brand standards across all of our facilities. Riding at Chester is a truly unique experience and we want to go above and beyond for our visiting jockeys. We’ve already had fantastic feedback from Franny Norton who was given an exclusive preview when he visited the track just last week.”
