The LIRG is an informal grouping of the five large racecourses which are independently owned. They appoint a Director to the Racecourse Association Board and the BHA Commercial Committee and various other industry committees and groups as required.
The LIRG Members communicate regularly and have a biannual conference of their Chief Executives and an annual meeting of the Clerks of Course and Groundsmen. The Operations Managers also meet annually to ensure and share best practise. Our courses are responsible for the major summer flat festivals; The Boodles May Festival at Chester, The Dante and Ebor Festivals at York, Glorious Goodwood, Royal Ascot, King George VI and Champions Day at Ascot, and finally the Lockinge Stakes and Coral Gold Cup Festival at Newbury. They are major contributors to Prizemoney with their combined and executive contributions being over £50million in total prizemoney. All courses provide complimentary lunches for Owners and Trainers.
Being such significant contributors to British Racing their views are commonly sought by all parties of the industry and command considerable influence.
All the large independent racecourses have significant non-race day activities and business ventures including conference and events, restaurants, hotels, childcare facilities etc. Due to their huge investment in buildings and facilities they are able to support these non-racing businesses alongside their core racing activities. The LIRG Members have the ability to make quick commercial decisions due to their independent status and contribute significantly to the development and governance of the whole sport.
Chester Racecourse has been confirmed as one of the top 11 racecourses to visit in England and Wales by Live Tourism as part of the Racecourse Association’s (RCA) Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme (QARS).
On Wednesday 18th December 2019, the UK Tote Group and Chester Race Company have today announced a four-year partnership
Willie Mullins-trained mare seeking to follow up Ladbrokes Munster National victory in £250,000 prize at Newbury next weekend for 69 members of syndicate
Horse racing in Ayr can be traced back to 1576 but the first properly organised meeting, held over two days, took place in 1771 with the first Ayr Gold Cup run in 1804 .
The Western Meeting Club was formed in 1824 and the same year the Western Meeting race meeting, now the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Festival, was established.
In these days the racecourse was in the south of the town and moved to its present location in 1907.
The next major landmark was... read more.
