Newbury races

Great Western Railway partners with Newbury Racecourse in Olly Murs raceday giveaway

Great Western Railway (GWR) is bringing the races to the railway with Newbury Racecourse, giving its Instagram followers the chance to win an array of prizes worth more than £750, including a live performance by Olly Murs.  

The giveaway, which offers a huge selection of prizes for the BetVictor Hungerford Day on Saturday 19 August, runs from Friday 4 August and will see one lucky follower invited to a day of luxury at the famous racecourse, with two GWR First Class train tickets included in the prize. 

Followers can enter the competition on Instagram by tagging a friend in the comments of the original post and sharing the post on their stories. Both the entrant and tagged friend must follow GWR and Newbury Racecourse’s Instagram accounts.  

The winner will receive: 

  • Two First Class return train tickets to Newbury Races on Saturday 19 August from anywhere on the Great Western Railway network 
  • A night’s stay for two people at The Retreat on Saturday 19 August (https://www.retreatelcotpark.com/), rated as Britain’s best hotel by The Times 
  • A pair of Premier Enclosure tickets to BetVictor Hungerford Day with Olly Murs on Saturday 19 August 
  • Private table for two in the Hennessy Restaurant for racing and the concert  
  • Tea & Coffee 
  • Champagne & Canapé Reception 
  • Three Course À La Carte Lunch  
  • Light Afternoon Tea 
  • Complimentary, Preferential Car Parking  
  • Official Racecards 

Olly Murs

The event at Newbury’s famous racecourse is one of the biggest in the racing calendar, and this year sees singer Olly Murs headlining the ‘Party in the Paddock’ event, with live music following the day’s racing.  

Visitors to the event on 19 August can easily reach the racecourse on GWR services, with Newbury Racecourse station located on-site and just a short walk to the entrance. Half-hourly services from Reading and Bristol provide a convenient connection to London, South Wales and the south west of England.   

GWR Regional Marketing Executive, Katie Axford, said:  

“We have worked closely with our partners at Newbury Racecourse over the years to bring thousands of visitors to an exciting day out at the races by train.  

“We are grateful for their incredibly generous prize for one of our loyal followers, and we hope the lucky winner has a fantastic time.” 

Newbury Racecourse Marketing Director, Harry Walklin, said: 

‘’It’s not long until we welcome Olly Murs to Newbury Racecourse to perform live as part of BetVictor Hungerford Day on Saturday 19 August and it’s great to be able to partner with Great Western Railway to offer such an exciting prize bundle for the much-anticipated music raceday.  

“With a rail station on-site at the racecourse it couldn’t be easier to get here to enjoy the action all-year-round and we’re looking forward to welcoming the lucky winner on 19 August.’’ 

To enter, simply tag another Instagram account in the comments of the original post and share the post to Instagram stories. Both the entrant and tagged account must follow @GWRUK and @NewburyRacecourse. 

Contact Information

John Carter

Media and Communications Manager

Great Western Railway

0845 410 4444

John.Carter1@gwr.com

Notes to editors

Terms & Conditions of the Great Western Railway Newbury Racecourse competition 

  1. Our Newbury Racecourse competition runs from 13:00 on Friday 4 August 2023 to 13:00 on Friday 11 August 2023.
  2. Entrants must tag another Instagram account in the comments of the original post, share the post to Instagram stories, and both the entrant and tagged account must follow @GWRUK and @NewburyRacecourse
  3. Employees of Great Western Railway are not eligible to win but are welcome to take part.
  4. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on Friday 11 August 2023.
  5. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within two days of the announcement, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
  6. The prize is as follows:
  • Two First Class return tickets to Newbury Races on Saturday 19 August from anywhere on the Great Western Railway network 
  • A night’s stay for two people at The Retreat at Elcot Park on Saturday 19 August 
  • A pair of Premier Enclosure tickets to BetVictor Hungerford Day with Olly Murs on Saturday 19 August 
  • Private table for two in the Hennessy Restaurant for racing and concert 
  • Tea & Coffee 
  • Champagne & Canapé Reception 
  • Three-Course À La Carte Lunch 
  • Light Afternoon Tea 
  • Complimentary, Preferential Car Parking 
  • Official Racecards 

    Notes to editors 

    First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR has been awarded a National Rail Contract to continue operating the Great Western network, which shall run up to 21 June 2025, with the potential for a further three years at the Secretary of State’s discretion. Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us