Kalendar Magazine 2018-19

Kalendar Magazine 2018-19

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E S O U T H W E S T R E G I O N O F T H E J O C K E Y C L U B 18/19 Jump Season

LeeWestwood hoofs it toThe Festival™ presented by Magners Jump racing returns for the 2018/19 season

WORLDWIDE JET CHARTER EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER CHARTER AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT

$_;b‚ Ѳ;;|olr-m‹ ruoˆb7;v-‰b7;u-m];o=-ˆb-ࢼomv;uˆb1;v bm1ourou-ࢼm]Ѳ†Š†ubo†vrubˆ-|;Ѳ‹o‰m;7;Š;1†ࢼˆ;f;|v=ou1_-u|;uĶ _;Ѳb1or|;u1_-u|;uĶ-bu1u-[ l-m-];l;m|-m7]uo†m7_-m7Ѳbm] v;uˆb1;vʼn=uolo†uo‰mrubˆ-|;_-m]-u‰b|_r-vv;m];uѲo†m]; -|Ѳo†1;v|;uv_bu;burou|ʼn bm|_;_;-u|o=|_;o|v‰oѲ7v .

BUSINESS TRAVEL I SPORTING EVENTS I GROUP TRAVEL I MEDICAL FLIGHTS

Hangar SE48 I Gloucestershire Airport I Cheltenham I Gloucestershire GL51 6SR T +44 (0)1452 857606 E bm=oŠ|_;Ѵb‚ Ѵ;f;|1olr-m‹ĺ1ol |_;Ѵb‚ Ѵ;f;|1olr-m‹ĺ1ol

®

T H E L I T T L E

C O M P A N Y

WELCOME T he upcoming season will be my seventh in the role of Regional Director for the South West region of The Jockey Club and this one looks set to be as exciting as ever. With highlights such as New Year’s Day and Haldon Gold Cup Day at Exeter, Badger Ales Chase Day and Boxing Day at Wincanton, New Year’s

Cheltenham and has also enjoyed Festival glory when his horse Ballyalton won the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap at The Festival in 2016. Included in the magazine is information about how to purchase tickets and hospitality options at all our South West courses across the season, including our new facility at Cheltenham for The Festival, The Horse & Groom pub. Created following feedback from our customers as an alternative to the traditional fine dining restaurants seen around other areas of the racecourse, The Horse & Groom will be situated overlooking the racecourse between the last and second last fence. This exciting addition to our stable of hospitality offerings will provide a relaxed and informal option for racegoers to enjoy their day at The Festival and I am delighted that we continue to create new and exciting options for those wishing to experience the very best in sporting dining. Theatre@ The Festival, our pan-Asian restaurant which was so well received last year, also overlooking the course, returns for the second time at next year’s Festival, you can find further details along with a selection of hospitality options on page 60. I trust you enjoy this year’s edition of Kalendar and we look forward to welcoming you to our four racecourses, Cheltenham, Exeter, Warwick and Wincanton, during the season.

Eve and Classic Chase Day at Warwick and The November Meeting and then, the highlight of the jumping calendar, The Festival™ presented by Magners at Cheltenham, we are set to host 77 amazing days of racing through the autumn, winter and spring months. In this year’s edition of Kalendar we chat to the Tizzard family, who won their first Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2018 with Native River. Their training operation has grown significantly in the past few years and it was an emotional moment for all the family in March when Native River powered up the hill on his way to victory in the season showpiece. Back at home, they chat about the day, how special it was for all of them and give a peek inside the training operation that works alongside the dairy farm. Native River will hopefully return to line up for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March, where, for the first time, the race will be sponsored by the Irish Cider brand Magners. We are delighted to be working alongside Magners for the next four years, with the sponsorship of both the newly named Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup and in their role as Presenting Partner of The Festival. We also catch up with fan and professional golfer Lee Westwood, who attends The Festival every year and this year had a rather successful week, when he picked all the winners on Champion Day, and then continued his amazing strike rate with winners in the first two races on the Wednesday. Lee is a huge fan of

Ian Renton Regional Director, South West region of The Jockey Club

@CheltenhamRaces

@thehomeofjumpracing

@CheltenhamRaces

Governed by Royal Charter, The Jockey Club invests every penny it makes back into British racing for the long-term health of the sport

Kalendar 3

51

The Jockey Club Regional Hospitality Sales Tel: 01242 537653 Regional Head of Sales – South West Lee Moulson [email protected] Regional Head of Partnershps Carey Weeks [email protected] Regional Communications Manager Sophia Dale [email protected] The Festival™ is a registered trademark of Jockey Club Racecourses Limited Cheltenham – Racecourse of the Year 2004-2015

Published by

68

Archant Dialogue, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE

Archant Dialogue is part of Archant Community Media

Editor Sue Dando Art Editor Claire Leibrick Designers Sian Osborne and Matt Copland Senior Account Manager Laura Stringer Production Manager Kay Brown Art Director Richard Berry Content and Brand Director Ryan Battles

60

65 THE ORCHARD Utterly exclusive and invite only, The Orchard is new for The Festival 2019 74 GET SET FOR SPRING Catch up on all the action from Cheltenham’s April meeting 77 SEASON’ S END PARTY End the season with a flourish at Race Night

CHELTENHAM 36 RACING REMEMBER Gloucestershire marks the centenary of the First World War Armistice with a day to remember 48 THE CHELTENHAM CLUB It’s the most exclusive club for those wanting the very best of the best 52 HOSPITALITY PACKAGES Spectate in style with one of Cheltenham’s fabulous hospitality packages 55 CELEB SPOTTING Celebrity spotting at The 2018 Festival 56 ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Everything you need to know about the facilities and enclosures at The Festival TM presented by Magners 60 DINE IN STYLE Complete your Cheltenham experience with an exclusive dining package 62 A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP The new partnership between Cheltenham and Magners Cider is a perfect fit

Agency Director Zoë Francis-Cox For all advertising enquiries, please call: 01242 537665 Images by: PA images, John Hoy, Cheltenham racing photos, Steven Cargill, Fran Altoft, Simon Hayward The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Jockey Club or Archant Dialogue. All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission from Archant Dialogue. We accept no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in this publication. While every care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, we can give no assurance that they will fulfil their obligation. © Archant Dialogue 2018

Celebrate the Home of Jump Racing’s signature meeting with our special gatefold section at the centre of the magazine.

FEATURES 8 LEE WESTWOOD

Legendary golfer and racing fanatic Lee on what he loves most about Cheltenham 16 A WORD IN OUR EAR All your Kalendar questions answered plus a chance to win tickets for next year’s Festival

4 Kalendar

26

85

08

19 JOIN OUR SYNDICATE Enjoy racing even more by becoming a member of our syndicate 20 THE MCCOYS A look ahead to this year’s McCoys Jockey Club Jump Awards 26 SEASON OPENER Get ready for the season ahead with The Showcase meeting 32 NOVEMBER MAGIC The thrilling November meeting provides three days of fantastic racing, shopping and family fun 38 INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS CRACKER Celebrate Cheltenham’s winter frolic at The International meeting 41 CRYSTAL CUP The European Cross Country Challenge comes to Cheltenham 42 NEW YEAR’ S PARTY Blow the cobwebs away with family fun at the New Year’s Day meeting 45 TERRIFIC TRIALS ACTION See all the action at Festival Trials Day, one of the most significant staging posts in the run up to The Festival

68 AT HOME WITH THE TIZZARDS

89 JUNIOR JUMPERS 12-year-old Junior Jumper Katie Miller on her very special day at Cheltenham 91 RIDING FOR THE DISABLED Behind the scenes at Cotswold RDA PLANNING YOUR VISIT 6 DIARY DATES Key fixtures at Cheltenham, Exeter, Warwick and Wincanton 93 TRAFFIC All you need to know about getting to Cheltenham 97 ACCESS FOR ALL Discover the services that can help everyone enjoy a day at the races 98 MEET A MEMBER Cheltenham member Arron Snipe reveals what he loves most about a day at the races

Behind the scenes at Team Tizzard, home of the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River 78 SNOOKER COMES TO CHELTENHAM The Centaur gets ready to host snooker’s World Grand Prix for the first time REGIONAL RACECOURSES 80 COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS Get in the festive spirit with a visit to one of the Jockey Club’s regional racecourses 83 WINCANTON Yes, the clue really is in the name – come to Wincanton for a thrilling (and hopefully winning) day out 85 EXETER Looking ahead to the new season at this spectacular hilltop course 87 WARWICK There’s much to look forward to at this small but perfectly formed track

Following customer feedback pricing can now be found on

feature pages

Kalendar 5

The weather’s getting colder and the racing’s getting hotter as the National Hunt season gets into full swing SEASON DATES

6 Kalendar

jockey club south west | season dates

Governed by Royal Charter, The Jockey Club invests every penny it makes back into British racing for the long-term health of the sport.

RACECOURSE KEY

EX EXETER CH CHELTENHAM WA WARWICK WI WINCANTON

January Jumps

Midweek Jumps Monday March 25 Spring Raceday Thursday March 28 APRIL

EX

WI

Sunday January 20 Midlands Raceday Monday January 21 Festival Trials Day

WA

WA

CH

WA

Saturday January 26 Somerset National Day Thursday January 31 FEBRUARY Gentlemen’s Raceday ft Kingmaker Chase Saturday February 09 Ladies Raceday Sunday February 10 Betway Kingwell Hurdle Day Saturday February 16 Devon National

CH

Midweek Jumps

WI

WI

Wednesday April 03 Junior Jumpers Raceday EX Tuesday April 09 St Mary’s Land Cup Day WA Wednesday April 10 Family Fun Day WI Sunday April 14 Superhero Family EX Fun Day Tuesday April 16 The April Meeting CH Wednesday April 17

WI

EX

WA

EX

Winter Warmer

WA

SEPTEMBER 2018

Wednesday November 21 Afternoon Racing Thursday November 22 Devon Day Sunday November 25 DECEMBER Thursday December 06 Festive Raceday Friday December 07 Eventmasters Christmas At The Races Thursday December 13 The International Friday December 14 Saturday December 15 Christmas Raceday Festive Raceday Thursday December 20 Boxing Day

WI

The Smarkets Racing UK WA Grand Season Opener Tuesday September 25 OCTOBER

WI

EX

EX

Raceday Friday February 22 Fabulous Fiver Friday WA Friday ft Budbrooke Chase Friday February 22 Midweek Jumps WI Wednesday February 27 MARCH

Thursday April 18 Charity Raceday Thursday April 25

WA

The Autumn Meeting Thursday October 04 Season Opener Thursday October 11 Season Opener Friday October 19 Best Mate Beginners Chase Day Tuesday October 23 The Showcase Friday October 26 Saturday October 27 The Betbright Countryside Day Sunday October 28 NOVEMBER Haldon Gold Cup Day Tuesday November 06 Smarkets Sporting Icon Raceday Friday November 09 Badger Chase Day Saturday November 10 Midweek Racing Wednesday November 14 The November Meeting Friday November 16 Saturday November 17 Sunday November 18

WA

WI

MAY

EX

EX

Race Night

CH

WI

Friday May 03 Kids Carnival Day Monday May 06 Season Finale Tuesday May 07 Ladies Night Thursday May 09 Ladies Night Saturday May 11 Cheese and Cider Night Tuesday May 14 Proudly Warwick Wednesday May 22 Celebration Racenight Wednesday May 29

WA

WA

EX

March Racing

EX

Afternoon Series Tuesday March 05 Midweek Jumps Thursday March 07 Countryside Raceday Tuesday March 12 Wednesday March 13 Thursday March 14 Friday March 15 March Racing Sunday March 10 The Festival TM

EX

CH

CH

WI

WI

EX

WI

WA

WA

WI

Wednesday December 26 New Year’s Eve Raceday WA Monday December 31 JANUARY 2019

CH

WI

EX

WA

EX

WA

WA

New Year’s Day Tuesday January 01 New Year’s Day Tuesday January 01 Newcomers Raceday Saturday January 05 Classic Chase Day Saturday January 12 Midweek Jumps Thursday January 17

Afternoon Series Monday March 18 Gentleman’s Day Sunday March 24

EX

CH

EX

WI

WI

EX

For more information on all our racedays across the season, please visit

cheltenham.co.uk warwickracecourse.co.uk exeter-racecourse.co.uk wincantonracecourse.co.uk

WA

CH

WI

Kalendar 7

interview I lee westwood

It’s a well known fact that golf star LEE WESTWOOD is a racing fanatic. He tells TOM PEACOCK about his love of the sport, ambition to captain the Ryder Cup team, and how he backed 11 out of 12 winners on the first two days of the 2018 Festival FAIRWAY TO FURLONG

A day on the golf course is the first choice for plenty of us to relieve the stresses of working life. So too the racing professionals, many of whom disappear off for 18 holes whenever there’s a spare moment. What, though, if the game happens to be your day job? For former world number one Lee Westwood, a visit to Cheltenham is high on the relaxation agenda. “There aren’t many sports you can do when you’re a golfer that aren’t going to get you injured,” Westwood chuckles. “Luckily going and watching racing’s one of them.” The 45-year-old’s enduring career has allowed him

to be more than simply a spectator of the sport but his curiosity was piqued at an earlier age. “I think I first remember seeing racing at Christmas-time,” he recalls. “I was watching Kempton, the King George, on TV with my dad and grandad, and then races like the Grand National. “We didn’t really go racing when I was young. My dad followed it, not very seriously, but he always had an interest in the bigger meetings whenever they were on. “I might actually have even been racing at Southwell first, and then we went to places around Worksop, the area that I’m from. Tracks like Pontefract, Thirsk, Doncaster and Market Rasen. “It sort of took off from there. I earned a few quid playing golf and was able to buy a few horses and get involved in syndicates. I had two Flat horses and two jumpers and gradually got more and more into it and started to buy some better horses.” Westwood’s initial venture into ownership, however, proves that no-one is immune to finding themselves with a dud. “The first one I ever bought was with (local

8 Kalendar

Lee photographed at Close House Golf Course, home to The Lee Westwood Filly Course and The Championship Lee Westwood Colt Course

Lee celebrates with Ballyalton after victory in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase

trainer) Derek Shaw, a horse called In The Arena,” he says ruefully. “Unfortunately he never even won a race, so it was a fairly unsuccessful start, but it did give me a flavour of being an owner. “I went on to have a few good ones with Karl Burke, and then we moved on to Mick Easterby, and had a few good ones with him. Hoof It did really well, he won the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, the consolation race, and some good handicaps at places “During Festival week the atmosphere is so incredible and you get so many interesting people there ... it’s great to see such quality races”

like Doncaster and York, and we also had Hoofalong, who won the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh.” Westwood is diplomatic when asked if he prefers the Flat or the Jumps. “I’d say a bit of both,” he replies. “One of the better horses I had was a horse called Grande Jete, who started off in South Africa and ran in some of the best Flat races over there. Then we took him to Dubai, where he ran OK, and we decided to bring him over to England and we eventually sent him jumping with Nicky Henderson. “The first time he went hurdling he ran at Bangor one December. I went all the way over there to watch him and he got beaten by a horse who was a real hotshot called Garde Champetre, who ended up being bought by JP McManus and won all the cross-country races at Cheltenham. “I remember Mick Fitzgerald riding Grande Jete for me. They were going up the back straight and the horse started slowing down. When he came back in, I said to Mick, ‘what was wrong with it up the back straight?’ and he replied, ‘well, it didn’t like running into the wind and the rain’.

10 Kalendar

interview I lee westwood

“I thought to myself, ‘that’s not going to be a great hurdler, is it!’” Fortunately, Grande Jete accepted the wintry British weather enough to win a small race at Wincanton and did manage to finish fourth in the 2005 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle. The results at The Festival were to rise far higher in time. Ballyalton, carrying the colours of the golfer’s father, John, has been nursed through several long-term injuries by his Midlands-based trainer Ian Williams. Despite this, he has reached three of the past five meetings, chasing home Faugheen in the 2014 renewal of what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, returning two years later to win the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase, and again as an 11-year-old for a fine fourth in the latest running of the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate. “I bought him as a Christmas present for my dad one year and he’s been a brilliant horse,” Westwood explains. “The Close Brothers was incredible, just seeing him go up that hill with us all being there. And I actually happened to have had a few quid on him (at 12-1) as well!” While many of his horses were owned in partnerships with his former manager Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, one of his more recent investments has been with a rather more star- studded collection. The Masters Syndicate was conceived when Graham Wylie, the software tycoon and owner of such National Hunt superstars as the three-time Stayers’ Hurdle hero Inglis Drever and the quirky but hugely popular Tidal Bay, was out watching the golf in America with fellow north-east luminaries Ant & Dec and footballer Alan Shearer. They decided to have a horse together and Newcastle- based Westwood, whose partner Helen Storey is the sister of Wylie’s wife Andrea, was roped in too. The appropriately-named Augusta Kate, bred by Wylie himself out of the outstanding hurdler Feathard Lady, was sent to Willie Mullins and ended up being sent off favourite for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2016, the first of three consecutive visits she made to The Festival. “We had a fantastic run with her, running at Cheltenham and she also won at Punchestown. She’s actually retired now and has been put in foal. I think we’ll probably end up selling her but there are a few others in the pipeline. There should be one coming out soon that we’ve called Amen Corner, probably for the same syndicate.

“I’ve got rid of most of the Flat horses now but I’ve still got a few Jump ones. Andrew Harding and Ross Marshall who founded Your Golf Travel (a holiday business for which Westwood is an ambassador) started a syndicate called The Albatross Club and I got involved in that. We’ve got some good ones through them. “Western Ryder (a winner of a novice hurdle at The International last December for Warren Greatrex) ran at The Festival last season and hopefully we’ll have some more fun with him. He’s probably my best chance to get there again, and hopefully there’s another good one to come.” Despite his golfing commitments around the world, there are a certain four days in the middle of March which are now always blocked off in Westwood’s diary. “I’ve been to every day of The Festival for the last three years, and I’ve been to Cheltenham in October and November-time as well,” he says. “It’s the home of National Hunt racing, during Festival week the atmosphere is so incredible and you get so many interesting people there. For anybody that loves horse racing it’s great to see such quality races, the best horses are there and it’s kind of like a Formula One race, you’ve got all the elite running. The races that week seem to be so much quicker, they just seem to go so fast over those hurdles and fences, it’s incredible.” Westwood is a huge all-round sport fanatic, judged by enthusiastic social media postings at manifold events. He not only finds time when he can to watch Nottingham Forest F.C. but has been spotted at Wimbledon’s Centre Court, as well as motor racing, rugby and even showjumping events. However, he puts Cheltenham right at the summit.

“As far as occasion and atmosphere are concerned, that first race on the Tuesday

afternoon… when the cheer goes up as they start, it’s as good an atmosphere as you’d find anywhere.”

Right: Lee and father John (left) celebrate with the trophy during the presentation ceremony for the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase after Ballyalton’s win

Left: Lee during St Patrick’s Thursday at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival

Derrick Smith’s daughter, Viviene Day. “It’s trained in America by Wesley Ward and it actually ran at Royal Ascot this year, but unfortunately it didn’t win.” The golf and racing link usually tends to follow in the opposite direction. “I’ve played with a lot of the jockeys at golf days with the likes of Frankie Dettori, Mick Fitzgerald, AP McCoy, and I’ve got to know them pretty well. Carl Llewellyn too, he’s a bit of a bandit, and always good fun to be around.” The current tour season has been somewhat ponderous by Westwood’s standards given he has collected more than 40 professional titles across five continents in a career spanning 22 years. It is also fairly extraordinary to remember that it is 21 years since he made his Ryder Cup debut alongside Nick Faldo back in what was to be the first of 10 consecutive appearances in the classic encounter between the cream of Europe and America. He played a vital role in Europe’s dominant victory at Oakland Hills in 2004 as well as holding his nerve against Matt Kuchar in the singles in the dramatic comeback in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ six years ago. As the 2018 showdown draws ever closer, this time to be staged at Le Golf National at the end of September, captain Thomas Bjorn will be calling upon Westwood’s wealth of experience. “I’m playing all right – in some tournaments I’ve played well, in some not so,” he says. “I’m vice-captain at the Ryder Cup, so that’s exciting. Some time down the line I want to be captain, so it’ll be nice to see what goes on behind the scenes and learn what captaincy is all about. We’re going to have a great team as far as ability is concerned, then it’s just a case of getting everybody thinking the right way and the team spirit high.” However long his playing career lasts on the fairways, Westwood has no desire to follow in the example of some other sporting heroes in taking a more hands-on interest in racing. Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton memorably turned jockey and finished fifth in the 2016 St. James’s Place Foxhunter Chase while footballer Michael Owen, who owns his own racing stable in Cheshire, rode in a charity race at Ascot. “God no, I’d never make the weight!” he says. “Michael Owen might have done it but he didn’t start at 100kg did he?” In fairness to Westwood, he seems to be doing just fine by watching from the sidelines.

Westwood’s contacts and knowledge help on the betting front as well. “I did do well this year,” he recalls. “On the first day I picked all six winners for the Tote jackpot and won just short of £22,000 there. Then I picked the winner of the last race and won quite heavily on that, because obviously I’d won a lot already. Then I managed to pick four of the first five on the second day as well. From the first two days, I’d got 11 of the 12 winners up.” This was no mean feat. Westwood laid out £128 for his pool bet in various combinations and while there were a couple of obvious bankers such as Buveur d’Air retaining the Unibet Champion Hurdle and Footpad running away with the Racing Post Arkle, not all of the winners were sent off favourite. At the most competitive meeting of the entire year, what on earth was his secret? “Just luck, a lot of luck,” he replies modestly. “I got a few tips off people. Ian Williams is normally good for a tip, and few others like Graham Wylie know their stuff. I kind of go around collating it from everywhere.” Perhaps the most notable golfer to have taken a serious interest in horses is the great South African Gary Player, who built up his own stud farm in the Northern Cape. Westwood says that few of the present crop have an active interest and that the clubhouse chat is not exactly centred around a copy of the Racing Post . “You don’t see many doing that, only me,” he explains. “Not too many of them are involved. Justin Rose likes it, his wife’s got a Flat horse called Master Merion with prominent owner

12 Kalendar

1 2 - 1 5 M A R C H

Meet the Rosconn team… regulars at The Cheltenham Club

Striving to be the best in its class like The Cheltenham Club at Cheltenham Racecourse, Rosconn Strategic Land, which is based in Stratford-Upon-Avon, is a privately-owned land promotion company specialising in residential-led developments. Founded in 2005, by Managing Director and avid lifelong racing fan, Dan O’Donnell, the company has built up a strong reputation in the business, and is today known for its world class customer service.

out of university he joined Dan in those early years as Land Manager. Today, Nick works across the business on everything from site finding, growth strategy, negotiating transactions to disposing of sites. Nick comments: “Our process is different, from a landowners perspective they have continuity with a dedicated team member from start to finish, rather than dealing with a variety of different people. We’ve had an extremely positive year – securing many planning consents and agreeing more land promotion opportunities. Our strong growth is a direct result of positive recommendations from other landowners and their advisers, in addition to outstanding customer satisfaction feedback.” Rosconn has its own planning team, led by Daniel Hatcher, which has a proven track record of dealing with local authorities to obtain planning permissions that comply with current

Nick Carr Operations Director

Dan O’Donnell Managing Director

Experts in obtaining planning permission and maximising financial return on behalf of land owners, Rosconn works closely with its clients throughout the process to find the right purchaser, at the best price, ensuring maximum return. It’s the passionate and highly driven internal team that make Rosconn different, also utilising the best external team of consultants on every transaction, and working with each client every step of the way to ensure happy and successful landowners. Dan comments: “Since starting as a small company 13 years ago we have grown considerably and are now recognised as one of the leading land promotion groups in the UK. We have a strong team of nine and our management structure, which has been together for a long time, ensures the synergy works well.” The management team is made up of Nick Carr, Operations Director and Daniel Hatcher, Planning Director, who work alongside the founder. Nick has been with Rosconn since 2007, fresh

The word is spreading Rosconn will maximise the return on your land

regulations. Daniel who joined Rosconn in 2016 with over 20 years planning experience comments: “We currently have 10 large sites in planning. We are experts in gaining planning permission on sites adding value for our landowners. We invest the money and intellectual capacity to deliver planning permission, only then do we go out to the open market to sell the land to ensure the best value.” The group’s ethos and values are defined as Trusted, Transparent & Innovative. Rosconn is trusted by landowners and professional advisers to maximise land values. The group is transparent, delivering a world class customer service that capitalises landowner’s financial gain, and by pushing the boundaries of creativity, Rosconn is innovative, always delivering solutions not problems.

Daniel Hatcher Planning Director

Rosconn’s passion and tenacious dedication to providing a level of service that is unrivalled means that you can trust us to deliver the best possible return for your land.

that want to experience an enjoyable journey. For us the proof is in the case studies and this is why we encourage any new enquiry to make contact with landowners that have travelled the Rosconn journey.” Rosconn currently have approximately. 4,000 plots at all stages of the planning system. Recent land sales include sites in Coleshill North Warwickshire, Heather North-West Leicestershire, and Belbroughton, Bromsgrove on behalf of its clients. Dan adds: “We have ambitious growth plans with a projected turnover of £10 million in four years, new staff and we are expanding our HQ in Stratford- upon-Avon town centre. Everyone says ‘you can trust me’ but you can trust Rosconn Strategic Land .”

The group works with all types of landowners from private individuals selling plots and charities, landed estates, trustees and farmers looking to maximise their financial return with the least complexity for them. Typically sites range in size from 20 to 500 properties, the largest site currently in the medium term portfolio being 350 units, with the average site being 125 units. Rosconn Group’s ethos and attention to detail makes them an ideal match for Cheltenham Club members, since that is our philosophy too. Dan continues: “We simplify the process for landowners. We are passionate in achieving the best return so they net the largest financial gain possible. Rosconn strives to be the ‘Go to’ land promotion company for landowners

How much is your land worth? If you are thinking of selling your land, Rosconn Strategic Land would be delighted to talk to you. For further information please visit www.rosconngroup.com

kalendar | feedback

Questions answered, hot tips and a fantastic prize to be won

AWORD IN OUR EAR

I n 2017 we asked for feedback on Kalendar , and where possible we have listened to your views, from including pricing on each raceday to expanding our focus on The Festival TM presented by Magners. Many of you got in touch with questions, from asking trainers for horses to follow to information on Cheltenham town itself. Included here are some of the answers.

MOREHOT TIPS Here are some of our top tips for picking a winner. Watch the winners – Find out which horses have won at the track. Take Native River, whose third to Sizing John in The 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup and second to Minella Rocco in the National Hunt Chase in 2016 indicated that he might take the hill once more. He duly did, outstaying Might Bite in a thrilling finish in 2018. Consider distance and ground – Presenting Percy, a decisive 10-length winner in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase, had won in Ireland over three miles, on soft or heavy ground. When you add in the 2016 win at Cheltenham, it made sense to take the 5/2 on offer as the tapes went up. Keep an eye on the trainer – In 2017, Jonjo O’Neill plotted the success of Timeforwest who won three races in 10 days. Eagle-eyed racegoers noticed the multiple entries and clues, leading them to follow the horse and its route to the Winners Enclosure. Plain old luck – There’s nothing like picking a winner with meaning: like the redheads who won on Splash of Ginge in the BetVictor Gold Cup or the clergy who surely looked upwards as God’s Own came third in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at 40–1? Even more insight – Check out Festival Preview magazine, sent free to ticketholders who book before February 1, for more tips and behind-the- scenes gossip. Or purchase a ticket to The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse for The Festival Preview Evening, where racing experts will guide you through the fixture.

HOT TIPS Melissa Webb asked for tips on horses to look out for, so we asked our syndicate trainer Kim Bailey and head groundsman Ben Hastie for their views: Kim Bailey said: “I’ve recently purchased He’s No Trouble for The Cheltenham and South West Syndicate. This free mover glides across the ground. He’s one to keep an eye on. “We’ve also got Vindication, who was unbeaten last season. He’s grown and matured since this time last year, and I think he’s got a huge future; soft ground horse First Flow, who won three hurdle races on the trial; and Red River, who has won two hurdle races pretty impressively.”

16 Kalendar

WIN Tickets to The Festival TM Presented by Magners

Ben Hastie said: “I love the French mare Laurina, who has won each race for trainer W P Mullins. Relegate is another horse that has performed really well on Irish turf for Mullins. He’s smart and will run a big race if making The Festival. “My final pick is Black Op who won at Aintree for trainer Tom George. This year, he placed second to Samcro in the Ballymore Classic Novices Hurdle on Ladies Day at The Festival.” END OF THE TRACK? Peter Hutton wanted to know what happens to horses after they have finished racing. Thanks to Grace Muir’s hard work, HEROS Charity (Homing Ex-Racehorses Organisation Scheme) was set up in 2006 to answer this question. HEROS took shape in the early 1990s, when owners and trainers asked Grace to rehome their racehorses. With a lifetime of horse and racing experience and knowledge, plus a range of excellent connections, she knew there was scope to give these horses a chance at a second career, be it in eventing, dressage, polo, show-jumping, hacks or as companions. Since she started the project, Grace and her team have successfully rehomed several hundred ex-racehorses. You can find out more information at heroscharity.org VISITOR INFORMATION Sarah Smith asked, ‘Can you tell us a bit more about Cheltenham? Where is good to go, eat, and how can I get around?’ For local information and hotel and bar recommendations, visitcheltenham.co.uk and SOGlos.co.uk are both good places to start. We like No. 131 for a post-racing drink, East India Café for a memorable curry (don’t leave it late, book your table now) and Starline Taxis for getting around (call 01242 250 250). For a good night’s sleep we suggest The Lucky Onion Group (theluckyonion.com), which owns No. 131, No. 38 The Park and The Wheatsheaf Inn. A little further afield there’s The Maytime Inn near Burford (themaytime.com) and the Lygon Arms in Broadway (lygonarmshotel.co.uk). Staying in Cheltenham is not essential. National Express serves a host of travel destinations, and we also charter a first-class train from Paddington. Details can be found at cheltenham.co.uk. And finally, if you want a Festival to remember, try our extraordinary new ‘Room with a view’ offer, including a night’s stay at the newly refurbished Frogmill Hotel, helicopter transfer to the course and Bentley transfer to Theatre@, our exquisite pan-Asian dining experience. Contact Emma on 01242 537 605 for more information.

WIN TWO CLUB TICKETS

TWO FINAL FLIGHT ENTRY WRISTBANDS £200 WORTH OF BETTING VOUCHERS For a day of your choice at The Festival™ presented by Magners PLUS! WIN a pair of Dubarry Boots!

To be in with the chance to WIN all you need to do is email cheltenham.reception@ thejockeyclub.co.uk and let us know if you could change one thing about Kalendar to make it better, what would it be? Tell us your name, address and contact telephone number.

For >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108

Made with FlippingBook Online document