31, April 2010
Liverpool Daily Post business meets Lorraine Fullerton, regional recruitment manager for Jockey Club Catering, for an insight into her hectic schedule ahead of the Aintree Grand National Festival
For further information please contact:
Rod Kohler Tel: 0207 928 9999
Revolution email: rod@revolutionpr.co.uk
16, March 2010
With well over 200,000 racegoers attending the four days of The Festival from 16 – 19 March 2010 – 67,000 of those on Cheltenham Gold Cup day – the racecourse’s caterers, Jockey Club Catering, has a colossal task on its hands keeping punters fed and watered. The racecourse stable staff has an equal catering challenge with their equine visitors!
According to Cheltenham’s official caterer, Jockey Club Catering, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, race fans are expected to drink over 18,000 bottles of champagne, 220,000 pints of Guinness, 30,000 bottles of wine, 120,000 bottles of beer and cider, as well as 8,000 gallons of tea and coffee.
Meanwhile, the hungry spectators will each day sit down to three or four course lunches, looked after by the racecourse’s 3,000 staff, including 250 chefs and 300 managers. Guests are expected to devour three tonnes of smoked salmon, two tonnes of fillet and sirloin of beef, nine tonnes of potatoes, 46,000 bread rolls, 20,000 portions of chips and 25,000 beef burgers and hot dogs – all prepared in 30 temporary kitchens and 53 mobile catering units.
Bob Reeves, Business Director for Racing, Compass Group UK & Ireland said: “The Cheltenham Festival is the biggest catering operation of its kind in the racing world. Our team of chefs and waiting staff will alone look after 36,000 hospitality covers in 240 private boxes and chalets, seven restaurants and 20 marquees – this is a true team effort, and one of which we are incredibly proud.”
Much of the food is locally sourced with all beef, pork, lamb and sausages coming from Forest of Dean; all salmon smoked in Cirencester; the award winning Paddy Pies coming from Bristol; Real Ale brewed in Cheltenham; mustard from Tewkesbury; and 45,000 sandwiches made in Swindon.
The Festival’s 500 equine stars – one quarter of which are travelling from various stables in Ireland – will also consume an equally impressive amount of food and liquid, albeit from a slightly blander menu. With the average racehorse drinking between 10 – 12 gallons of water per day (still, not sparkling), and consuming up to 25lbs of dry food such as hay and chaff, the stable management team, lead by John Morrison, is also responsible for a huge logistical catering task.
Those details in full – Jockey Club Catering will serve the following during The Cheltenham Festival:
Food
• 3 tonnes smoked salmon
• 2 tonnes of fillet and sirloin of beef
• 9 tonnes of potatoes
• 45,000 rounds of sandwiches
• 46,000 bread rolls
• 25,000 beef burgers and hot dogs
• 14,000 packed lunches for staff
• 20,000 portions of chips
Drink
• 220,000 pints of Guinness
• 125,000 pints of lager
• 120,000 bottles of beer and cider
• 30,000 bottles of wine
• 18,000 bottles of champagne
• 8,000 gallons of tea and coffee
Jockey Club Catering staff
• 3,000 Jockey Club Catering staff, including 250 chefs and 300 managers
• 40 staff coaches per day
• 14,000 packed lunches for staff
In total, 800 feet of temporary bar counters are built for The Festival.
The longest bar at Cheltenham is the 110 foot long Pavilion Bar in the Best Mate enclosure.
If all burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches were laid end-to-end, they would stretch almost 3.2 miles – the distance of the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
-Ends-
For further information please contact:
Rod Kohler Tel: 0207 928 9999
Revolution PR Mob: 07770 647 662
Liz Bastone Tel: 01895 554426
Compass Group UK & Ireland Mob: 07500 607 965
Notes for Editors:
About Jockey Club Racecourses
Jockey Club Racecourses is part of the Jockey Club family. The Club’s trustee ownership ensures that the group’s profits are re-invested into racing.
Jockey Club Racecourses comprises a diverse portfolio of 14 courses. Major events and races staged at Jockey Club Racecourses include the Cheltenham Festival, the John Smith’s Grand National as well as four of the five Classics, including the Derby.
Because of the Jockey Club’s unique experience and heritage and the strength of the Group today, Jockey Club Racecourses are able to successfully deliver competitive and best-of-class horse racing; maximising profit and re-investing in the future to ensure the long-term and sustainable success of the business.
About Compass Group UK & Ireland
Compass Group UK & Ireland has partnered with Jockey Club Racecourses to provide an unrivalled variety of food services at over 350 fixtures a year as well as hosting numerous events throughout the year across the Jockey Club Racecourses portfolio of 14 courses.
Compass Group UK and Ireland is part of Compass Group plc, the world’s leading foodservice company. We specialise in providing food, vending and related services on our clients’ premises and we generated annual revenues of over £13.4 billion in the year to 30 September 2009. The company operates across the following core sectors of Business & Industry, Defence, Offshore & Remote Site, Healthcare, Education, Sports & Leisure and Vending with an established brand portfolio.
For more information visit www.compass-group.co.uk
10, March 2010
Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing contender, Oliver Townend, confirmed yesterday that he plans to ride Ashdale Cruise Master at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, as well as possibly ODT Master Rose.
Ashdale Cruise Master completed the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials last year with Emily Gilruth, and when she became pregnant the owners, Henry and Edna Harding, moved him to Townend’s Shropshire yard. “He’s a very classy horse, with lots and lots of scope,” said Townend. “My biggest problem is it’s a race against time on the dressage front, but he’s definitely one of the best horses I’ve ridden.”
Townend’s result at Burghley has set up a thrilling competition in Lexington, Kentucky in April, when he could become only the second rider, after Pippa Funnell, to scoop the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam for winning the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, all in succession. So far the Rolex Grand Slam feat has only been achieved by Pippa Funnell, who won all three competitions in 2003 on two different horses.
The 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is from 22-25 April.
Photos courtesy of Kit Houghton featuring Oliver Townend at yesterday’s Rolex Grand Slam day in London with The Household Cavalry at the Royal Horse Guards Parade and Hyde Park Barracks.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Rod Kohler Tel: +44 207 928 9999
Revolution Sports Mobile: +44 7770 647 662