The Jockey Club launches Rewards4Racing:

British racing’s first loyalty programme

Embargoed until 00.01 GMT on Friday 28 January 2011 – The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing, today announced the launch of ‘Rewards4Racing’, the UK’s first ever rewards programme dedicated to fans of the turf.

More than 250 popular high street and online retailers with over 3,000 outlets have signed up to be part of the major new loyalty programme, which offers its members the ability to accrue points from everyday purchases. Examples of participating retailers include Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Boots, amazon.co.uk, B&Q, John Lewis, iTunes, thetrainline.co.uk, Debenhams, Thomas Cook, Blockbuster, Hotels.com, Austin Reed and Halfords.

Rewards4Racing points can be turned into a series of racing rewards at all 14 of The Jockey Club’s racecourses, including Cheltenham, Aintree, Newmarket and Epsom Downs. Rewards include food and beverage discounts or free items, free tickets, ticket upgrades, hospitality packages, free racecards and special 'money can't buy' items that will be introduced regularly.

With annual attendances of just less than six million people, racing is the UK’s second most popular spectator sport. However, the average racegoer visits racecourses less than twice a year. The Jockey Club aims to increase customer loyalty and attendances through the Rewards4Racing scheme. With around a third of all British racing attendances, Jockey Club Racecourses has approximately 1.5 million individual customers each year, who are eligible to become members of the programme.

Rewards4Racing is free to join for all Jockey Club Racecourses customers. Anyone who buys an advance ticket online for any of The Jockey Club's 14 racecourses will be enrolled in the programme and given membership details. Each of the group’s 2011 Annual Members will be invited to join the programme, along with its corporate and non-raceday customers.

Paul Fisher, Chief Operating Officer of Jockey Club Racecourses, said:

“The Jockey Club’s Rewards4Racing loyalty programme is all about giving something extra back to racing fans for their support. Simply by making purchases on the high street, online and on our racecourses, members will earn rewards quickly to make their racing experience that little bit more special.

“Our research shows that most people who come racing absolutely love it, but we need to give them more reasons to be loyal, so that a once-a-year visit turns into enjoying our sport more regularly. We believe British racing’s first ever rewards programme is one major way to do that and help take another step forward in a highly competitive sport and leisure environment.”

Fisher noted that already frequent racegoers will enjoy the benefits of the loyalty programme:

“As well as a means of encouraging people to go racing more often, it’ll be great for racegoers who already visit us regularly. We’ll be able to reward their loyalty through Rewards4Racing, which they’ve told us is high up on their wish list.”

The programme uses award-winning cardless technology, so that members do not need to carry yet another card in their wallet. Instead, members gain points at participating online retailers by clicking through to their sites from www.Rewards4Racing.com. For purchases at in store, spend is tracked and members collect points once members have registered their payment cards at the secure Rewards4Racing website. To claim rewards, Rewards4Racing members should simply visit www.Rewards4Racing.com and select their preferred offers across The Jockey Club's portfolio of racecourses.

The Rewards4Racing website goes live from today (Friday 28 January) with launch promotions to racegoers at Cheltenham Trials Day on Saturday 29 January. The Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2), televised live on Channel 4, has been named ‘The Rewards4Racing Cleeve Hurdle’ to help publicise the loyalty programme. The race is considered a leading trial for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, run as part of the Cheltenham Festival.

Notes to Editors

About Rewards4Racing:

Rewards4Racing is a joint venture between The Jockey Club and Rewards4Racing Ltd, overseen by Josh Apiafi, who was previously CEO of the Professional Jockeys Association and Marketing Director at Betfair.

Rewards4Racing has partnership agreements with more than 250 high street and online retail brands covering over 3,000 high street outlets, where customers of Jockey Club Racecourses can earn points which they can redeem to enjoy rewards at all 14 of the group’s racecourses.

About The Jockey Club:

The Jockey Club is at the heart of racing in the UK as the largest commercial group in the sport. Its interests include:

• Jockey Club Racecourses: Responsible for the operation of a diversified portfolio of 14 UK racecourses: Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs, Exeter, Haydock Park, Huntingdon, Kempton Park, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Nottingham, Sandown Park, Warwick and Wincanton.

The group stages four of the five 'Classics' of Flat racing (the Derby and the Oaks at Epsom Downs and the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket), as well as the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National at Aintree.

• Jockey Club Estates: The property and land management company responsible for the management and administration of more than 5,000 acres of land in and around the racing training centres of Newmarket and Lambourn, as well as an extensive property portfolio, including the Jockey Club Rooms.

• The National Stud: Transferred from Government to The Jockey Club in 2008, The National Stud is a commercial thoroughbred breeding enterprise with a commitment to provide training and educational programmes.

• Racing Welfare: A racing charity and company limited by guarantee with The Jockey Club being the sole member. The principal objective of Racing Welfare is to provide help to those in need who work or have worked in the thoroughbred industry, and their dependants.

In accordance with its objectives in the Royal Charter, The Jockey Club reinvests its profits in British racing and promotes measures to sustain and enhance the long-term success of the sport.

For further information:

If you require further information, please contact Scott Bowers, Group Director of Communications, The Jockey Club, on +44 7809 665 840 or email scott.bowers@thejockeyclub.co.uk.