Relaxed Racing Campaign Launched

While the Northern Hemisphere is feeling the brunt of one massive cold wave, the horse racing season in Australia is enjoying its summer and launching a marketing campaign aimed at promoting "elite and thrilling racing action with easy-going, relaxed and affordable days out for the entire family and groups of friends."

The campaign, titled Relaxed Racing, has been designed to promote a seven-week period through February and March by Racing Victoria (RV) in partnership with Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) and Country Racing Victoria (CRV) to promote the late summer-early autumn period of elite racing and country cups.

The Relaxed Racing campaign also involves the launch of relaxedracing.com.au, which will be followed over the next week by an extensive advertising campaign encompassing traditional and new media.

The website will feature the latest news and videos, an events calendar, ticket purchases, fields and form, participant profiles and general racing information.

RV’s Executive General Manager – Strategy and Development, Andrew Catterall, said the enhanced partnership furthered the work commenced in the Spring Racing Carnival and built upon its intent to foster new and renewed engagement with the sport.

“The Relaxed Racing campaign takes the first steps of many that our recently released Strategic Plan recognises as necessary to boost racing’s profile,” Catterall said.

“The aim of the new campaign is to draw people to city and country racetracks through the promotion of first-class racing, complemented by the relaxing and easy going raceday experience on offer at this time of year.

“Throughout the campaign, the partners will encourage racegoers to pack a picnic and stretch out on the expansive lawns, to relax their fashion and take advantage of the best value sports entertainment ticket in town.

“The late summer-early autumn period has been identified in our Strategic Plan as a key growth opportunity, and the Relaxed Racing campaign is our first step toward a possible broader change to the race calendar and event offering for 2015 onward.”

MRC’s Chief Executive, Brodie Arnhold, said the partnership between RV and MRC had been successful during the Spring Racing Carnival and MRC was pleased to see the joint initiative extended to CRV for the Relaxed Racing campaign.

“The Melbourne Racing Club believes strongly that forging partnerships and merging resources brings great benefit to the sport in its entirety and is vital in ensuring its ongoing prosperity,” Arnhold said.

“One of the key elements of the Relaxed Racing campaign is relaxed fashion and the evolution of racewear, so we’re also excited that this campaign signals a significant step forward for racing to that end.

“To complement this aspect of the Relaxed Racing campaign, Melbourne Racing Club will be relaxing its members’ dress codes in certain areas, including no jacket or tie necessary in certain areas of the members’ reserve and owners’ facility at Caulfield.”

The MRC has taken a further step in offering patrons a $40 Schweppes Family Picnic Pass on Caulfield Family Day; the Picnic Pass includes racecourse entry for two adults and four children, a picnic hamper and reserved picnic spot and blanket in the Schweppes Picnic Precinct on the front lawn.

CRV’s Chief Executive, Scott Whiteman, welcomed the Relaxed Racing campaign which he said offered wonderful synergies with the country racing scene.

“Relaxed Racing ties in wonderfully with the easy-going raceday experience on offer at country clubs year-round and there are many great country cups to enjoy over the late summer-early autumn period,” Whiteman said.

“We encourage families and friends from the local community and abroad to take advantage of the great day out to be had at a country race meeting, to pack a picnic, secure a place on the lawn, and enjoy the great family entertainment.”

The period will also see Victorian racing offer its first Lawn Pass to the general public, which is being billed as the best value sports entertainment ticket in town. The Lawn Pass, priced from $15 to $20, will entitle racegoers on metropolitan and country courses to access to expansive lawns, umbrellas and deck chairs, as well as free entertainment, on select courses. Children ranging up to 17 years of age will receive free entry.

Complimenting the laid-back on-course experience, racegoers will be encouraged to swap their fascinators for fedoras, suits for polo tees and stilettos for wedges.

(with files from Racing Victoria)