LOVE Devon, the fundraising arm of the charity Devon Communities Together, and Exeter Racecourse have teamed up to create the first ever A Question of Racing on Haldon Gold Cup Day, November 5.
A star studded panel includes record-breaking Devon born and bred female jockeys Bryony Frost and Lizzie Kelly, Philip Hobbs, David Pipe and Joe Tizzard who rode the winner of the Gold Cup three times.
They will face questions from the BBC’s David Fitzgerald, including what happened next, home and away questions, the picture board, one minute round and the buzzer round.
Devon Communities Together works with a very broad range of people, from rural and coastal communities to more urban centres. The charity supports them to tackle a wide variety of challenges facing their communities in areas including affordable housing, entrepreneurship, rural isolation and loneliness, community buildings, sport and play, health and wellbeing, and making Devon green.
Love Devon ambassador Bryony Frost said: “I’m chuffed to be an ambassador for Love Devon and I’m looking forward to being part of A Question of Racing with Exeter Racecourse. Devon is where my roots are and there’s no better place I could have had my childhood running feral. Every spare minute I have I always bolt back to my Devon home.”
Lizzie Kelly, who became the first ever female jockey to win a grade one race when Tea For Two won at Kempton on Boxing Day, 2015, said: “I was born and brought up in Devon and I live here now and I am delighted to support this event. Devon Communities Together has such a positive impact on Devon’s communities and the evening should be a lot of fun, while highlighting the work of the charity.”
David Pipe, who trains on the Devon Somerset border and saddled Comply or Die to win the Grand National in 2008, added: “It should be a lot of fun for a very worthwhile charity. Hopefully a lot of people will support such a worthwhile cause. and fingers crossed the questions won’t be difficult!”
The event starts 30 minutes after the last race at 4.45pm on Devon’s richest and most prestigious raceday, and tickets cost just £5 if pre-booked, or £10 on the night, with every penny donated to LOVE Devon.
The Haldon Gold Cup is one of seven races on the card and is worth £75,000, attracting some of the best two mile chasers in the country.
General manager Jack Parkinson said: “It’s a terrific raceday with some outstanding horses likely to be in action. With a Question of Racing after racing it will be a superb day and early evening of entertainment and we hope that as many people will support Love Devon which makes such a positive change to so many communities in Devon.”
To book tickets visit www.exeter-racecourse.co.uk
LOVE Devon is the charity of the day at Exeter Racecourse on 22nd October, featuring the Prydis LOVE Devon handicap chase! Find out more here
Racecourse photo copyright Jonathan Billinger https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1129752