The Warwick Way is a unique operational process by which we can fulfil the
aspirations of the Jockey Club Racecourses’ vision and help define the culture and the essence of what is important at Warwick. It is centred around placing both our internal (working colleagues and partners) and external customers (our visitors and guests) at the forefront of everything we do.  To be successful our aim is to ensure that every customer has the best possible experience.
Our Core Values are:
Caring - People who work here care about colleagues, visitors and the success of Warwick.   
Welcoming - We are all hosts on-site and should aim to provide a friendly first impression.
Supportive - Success comes from working together!  
Positive - Demonstrating enthusiasm and a ‘can do’ attitude.  
Proactive - Making a difference by looking for opportunities to exceed expectations.  
 
WARWICK RACECOURSE
Our History
Warwick, one of 14 racecourses within the Jockey Club Racecourses Group,
celebrates 300 years of racing in 2007, the first race meeting taking place on 16th and 17th September 1707. The event was advertised in the London Gazette on 28th July 1707, and Warwick Castle accounts reveal that in that year Lord Brooke donated £15 ‘towards making a horse race’.
The racing took place on St. Mary’s Common. The identity of the runners and
winners in the first two decades of the competition on the common have not been discovered, the earliest results are to be found in Cheney’s Calendar (forerunner of the Racing Calendar) in 1728.  Warwick can also lay claim to being the first British racecourse ever to include a race over obstacles at an established meeting. A hurdle race over 2 miles and 6 flights was a novel adjunct to the Spring Meeting of 1831 and is the earliest jump race result to be found in the Racing Calendar.  In 1847 there were 5 runners in the 3 mile Leamington Hunt Club Steeple Chase, including Chandler. Chandler refused the second fence. The next fence was over Gog Brook and the ground was very bad in front of the brook – by the time he reached there, the other 4 horses had fallen. Chandler cleared the brook, and later the jump was
measured at 37 feet, the longest ever recorded. From then on it became known as Chandlers Brook. He went on to win the Grand National in 1848. 
 
The Way Forward
Warwick has a great history of which it can be very proud, but as with another sporting analogy, “we are only as good as our last game”, and hence we are always  seeking ways in which we can keep up with modern trends and work to improve our product, in the hope that we can be here for another 300 years.  As we look to the future Warwick Racecourse is working to sustain its already popular and well respected Jump season, look to improve the Flat season product (helped by the opening of the new straight 6 furlong course in June 2007), raise the standards of customer service experienced at racecourses and look to underpin the future of the facility with some solid non-race day business activity.  The sincerest hope is that with the completion of the current redevelopment due to be completed by November
2007, that Warwick within a couple of years will regain the title of “Best Regional Racecourse”.   
 
Jockey Club Racecourses
As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Jockey Club, Jockey Club Racecourses
(formerly RHT – Racecourse Holdings Trust) has always been unique in its
structure and in its commitment to promoting a healthy and sustainable mix of
both Flat and Jump racing. It is committed to the continued reinvestment of all
of its profits into enhancing the racing experience for all stakeholders, from
race goers to jockeys, from owners to stable staff. 
Jockey Club Racecourses seeks to maximise the potential of each course to offer consumers consistent, attractive racing programmes in a wide variety of settings. The group is also committed to pursuing the highest standards of horse and human welfare, and that the condition of every course is fit to race. The races stages at Jockey Club Racecourses 14 racecourses include the majority of the year’s most prestigious events, for both flat and jump racing. Nearly half the Group One races run  on the Flat each season, and  four-fifths of jump racing’s Grade One events are staged by Jockey Club Racecourses.* The portfolio of courses represents over a fifth of the total number of racecourses in Great Britain (fourteen out of 59), stages over a
fifth of all fixtures, and provides over 30% of annual prize money.  The present day business challenges met by JCR courses are no different to those met by any other leisure/sports venue and therefore the Group as a whole are always looking at innovative ways to build and improve on the product and service that we currently provided our customers.

The Jockey Club Racecourses’ vision is: 
“We want to be the best racecourse operator in Europe in terms of profitability and the promotion of best quality flat, AWT and jump racing, and to establish our racecourses as venues of choice in the UK events and leisure industry.”
A significant element behind this vision for success is the way in which we treat our customers and we appreciate that it is our frontline staff who have the greatest influence over giving that first good impression of the Racecourse.  In turn, we also realise that frontline staff also get to know better than anyone, what the customer really wants and the Racecourse is always grateful to staff for good and not so good feedback, so we learn to better serve our customers.
In this regard, I thank you all for your help.
* Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Epsom, Exeter, Haydock, Huntingdon, Kempton
Park, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Nottingham, Sandown Park, Warwick and
Wincanton. 
 
RACING INFORMATION
We race 25 times during 2008 (including 3 evening meetings). We have “jump racing” (over hurdles and fences) and “flat racing”.  The first meeting (and highlight) of the “jump” season, January 12, is the Totesport Classic Meeting (our National Hunt Season runs from November to March).  The last of the 07/08 jump season will be on Tuesday, March 18, only to resume the 08/09 season on November 3.  Our “flat racing” season is from April to October, the feature races in 2008 being the Warwick Oaks (Listed Race) on 19th June, and the Eternal Stakes (Listed Race) on 26th June.

The order of events for a race is:
A. Pre-Parade Ring or “Saddling Enclosure” – where horses are saddled up
B. Parade Ring – where horses are paraded for around 10 minutes in front of the visitors. Jockeys mount here.
C. Down the Horsewalk (Canter Down?) – in front of the crowd, to the course, 5 minutes before the start time.
D. The Race
E. The Winner’s Enclosure – where the first 4 horses are paraded at the end of the races. 
 
 
TICKETING ARRANGEMENTS
(3 main types of tickets)
Corporate Hospitality Badges
A specific badge for the hospitality area
Access to the Paddock corporate hospitality suites
Main Enclosure Badge
A dated badge giving access to the main enclosure and grandstand
Annual Members’ Badge (with year on)
A metal badge unique to Warwick (either full members or NH members)
Access to Annual Members Bar 
 
BETTING
There are 3 ways to place a bet:
1.The Tote – where there is a £2 minimum bet. This is good for placing a “combination of bets” (the Tote “Betting Guide” explains different bets you
can make). Vouchers for the Tote can be purchased with a credit card.
2. On site bookmakers
3.Rail bookmarkers – for betting with credit and for “bit spending” punters. 
Race Programmes and Time Forms can be purchased at the entrances and
contain all the runners and riders for the meeting. 
 
EVENTS AND LEISURE
Warwick also has a growing Conference and Events Operation, accounting for an ever increasing part of the business.
 
Conference & Banqueting
Warwick Racecourse is a unique and picturesque venue, benefited by being
set amongst a rural and urban backdrop. Located just 5 minutes walk from the
town centre, or 5 minutes drive from the M40, Junction 15 and serviced by 2
train stations, both within walking distance there is no easier venue to get to. 
Offering an exceptional setting for any conference or special event the
racecourse can tailor a package to suit a client’s particular requirements.  For
a top-level gathering for executives, a product launch, a conference for up to
100 delegates, an exhibition requiring vehicular access or searching for the
ideal training venue, Warwick has the perfect facility whether a client is hosting a breakfast seminar, half-day meeting or a full day conference.  Not forgetting those who may of course wish to mix business with a bit of racing as well.
 
Marquees
Use of marquees tends to be restricted to the summer months, but this is not
exclusive and there is nothing in a racecourse function room that cannot be
done in a marquee.  Marquee events in the centre of the course are in the main limited to race days, when they are catered to with the same high standard as hospitality and conferencing enjoy in the main Enclosure.