PRESS RELEASE – PRESS RELEASE – PRESS RELEASE
Fakenham Racecourse makes Prize Money Commitment for Remainder of 2020
Despite the setbacks incurred by the Covid 19 pandemic, Fakenham Racecourse announces that it
will contribute a minimum of £22,000 of its own money towards prize money on each of the five
race days that remain in 2020, as well as having two handicap races per race day that qualify for
prize money bonuses.
Fakenham’s Chief Executive & Clerk of the Course David Hunter explains:
‘Like all racecourses we have had a very difficult time since Covid raised its ugly head in March
this year. We lost three race meetings at the tail end of last season but it could have been a lot worse
and against that gloomy backdrop we have to be very grateful that our touring caravan and camping
site has been, and continues to be, very popular with guests as a result of staycations.
We start racing again on 16th October, either behind closed doors or with a limited number of the
public, and we want to hit the floor running and offer the best possible racing experience to owners,
trainers, jockeys and all those professionals involved in this great sport. Race prize money is
essential for the well being of the sport and Fakenham has always proudly committed as much as it
can to the prize money pot. In this time of Covid uncertainty that commitment remains as strong as
ever and today I can announce that Fakenham will contribute at least £22,000 of its own funds to
the prize money at each remaining fixture in 2020 and we hope to be able to do the same for 2021.
This figure is 75% of the prize money contribution we made in pre-Covid times and when it is
added to Horse Racing Betting Levy Board and British Horseracing Authority grants it means each
race meeting will offer in excess of £60,000 for a six or seven race card. Furthermore, Fakenham
will continue to charge zero entry fees to the owners for all our races. This is something we have
proudly done for many years and, along with Newton Abbott racecourse, are the only two courses
in the country that do this.
Also, from October onwards we shall offer two pre-selected handicap races on each day as ‘Double
Up Bonus Races’. If the winning horse in each bonus race, on the same day, is trained by the same
trainer then the winning owner of each race will get an extra £2,000 added to their prize money. We
hope this will encourage more entries into the races and will create fun, interest and excitement.’
Fakenham is a hive of activity with changes taking place to some buildings and facilities to
accommodate Covid 19 protocols; track and jump preparations; steady irrigation of the ground;
local race day staff being trained in new procedures and many guests still enjoying holidays on the
caravan and camping site.
David continues, ‘This time of the year is always pretty frantic as we get back into the swing of
racing, but this year it is even greater as we have not raced since mid-March, and we have so many
other things to consider and accommodate. Currently we are planning for both behind closed doors
racing and racing with a limited number of the public in attendance. If it is the latter, the public will
be made up of Annual Members and those who have booked tables in the Firth Restaurant.’
Fakenham Racecourse Fakenham Racecourse is an independently owned, national hunt racecourse
that, despite being called Fakenham Racecourse, is in fact in the small parish hamlet of Pudding
Norton. Racing has taken place at this site since 1905. Previously the races took place closer to
King’s Lynn at East Winch from 1884 until 1905.
For any further information please contact David Hunter on 07767 802206,
david@fakenhamracecourse.co.uk
