'Tommy Ticket' with Hannah Creelman of First TransPennine Express

Racegoers heading to participating courses in the North of England and Scotland who travel by train can receive a discount of up to £4 from the price of admission under the Back a Winner By Train campaign – which relaunches for the 23rd consecutive season with the launch of flat racing in the UK at Doncaster on 28 March 2009.

Here is the press release put out by the campaign:

Racegoers can start the British Flat season on a winning streak by travelling by train and saving money on course admission and the cost of a bet with totepool.

Anyone travelling by train to ten selected racecourses throughout the North and Scotland are on to a sure-fire winner with The ‘Back a Winner by Train’ promotion for 2009.

The popular scheme enables customers to obtain discounted admission into the Grandstand/Paddock/County Enclosures at the participating racecourses – and for 2009 the discount has been increased to £4 at all racecourses apart from York which remains at £3, but includes (for the first time) the prestigious four-day Ebor Festival in August.

The scheme runs from the opening meeting of the 2009 British Flat season on turf at Doncaster on Saturday and Sunday, 28 & 29 March and concludes on December 29.

Now in its 23rd year, the promotion continues to be backed by train operator, First TransPennine Express and offers racegoers discount vouchers into the Grandstand/Paddock enclosures at Beverley, Carlisle, Cartmel, Doncaster, Hamilton Park, Musselburgh Newcastle, Redcar, Thirsk and York.

To complement the savings on admission, racegoers have the opportunity of obtaining £2 off a toteplacepot bet of £5 or more. This will be part of the voucher racegoers receive when buying tickets at selected stations throughout the North and Scotland when they go racing by train.

David Crocker, marketing manager, First TransPennine Express, says “We are delighted to support this increasingly popular promotion in its twenty-third year, which now offers even better value for money. We believe racegoers appreciate the advantages of taking the train and having a great time without worrying about driving.”

Those of you who enjoy placing Totepool bets such as the Tote Placepot can achieve a £2 discount on Tote bets over £5 – saving a total of £6 (including the admission saving!) for savvy racegoers – just for taking the train (which is  often one of the best ways to travel to the races, given the car parking queues at many courses; it also allows you to relax with a drink too!).