Virgin Bet and Natalie Pike - ‘Women’s Day’ at Doncaster



VIRGIN BET AND PRESENTING STAR NATALIE PIKE BRING ‘WOMEN’S DAY’ TO DONCASTER RACECOURSE 

Virgin Bet is excited to announce the second iteration of its ‘Women’s Day’ event, which will take place at the Virgin Bet November Handicap on Saturday, 9th November, at Doncaster Racecourse. 

The day will serve as a platform to celebrate women in racing, making it the latest effort in Virgin Bet’s long line of social impact initiatives to help create a more inclusive environment. 

Building on the success of the inaugural Women’s Day at Ayr Racecourse last season, this celebration aims to further highlight and honour the invaluable contributions of women in racing. 

The event at Doncaster Racecourse is open to everyone, embodying Virgin Bet’s brand mission, ‘A Good Bet’. This campaign emphasises the brand’s dedication to breaking down pre-existing barriers within sports and culture at large. 

As part of the day’s proceedings, in addition to enjoying Doncaster’s spectacular race offerings, attendees can attend two panels led by presenter Natalie Pike, with the first starting at 11 am in the Exhibition Hall. Combining celebration with insight, these discussions will encourage reflection and spark conversation, connecting racing fans with legendary women transforming horse racing while also addressing diversity in the sport. 

Panellists will include: 

Panel 1: Women of Horse Racing 

  • Sophie Green (Trainee Clerk of the Course, Doncaster Racecourse) 
  • Charlotte Russel (General Manager, Go Racing In Yorkshire) 

Panel 2: Creative Inclusivity in Racing 

  • Rachel Harwood (Executive Director, Doncaster Racecourse) 
  • Dawn Goodfellow (CEO, Racing Welfare) 
  • Emma Kay (Founder, WalkSafe) 

Additionally, as part of Virgin Bet’s raceday sponsorship, a donation will be made to Racing Welfare. Their work ensures the well-being and success of British horseracing’s workforce. Virgin Bet’s support for Racing Welfare highlights the importance of giving back to the community that keeps the industry running. 

The Virgin Bet November Handicap marks the beginning of Virgin Bet’s continued partnership with Arena Racing Company (ARC) for a series of key meetings throughout the 2024/25 season. This partnership extends to fellow LiveScore Group brand LiveScore Bet.

Virgin Bet’s Personal Safety Partner, WalkSafe, will also be integrated into the race day. Founded in 2020, WalkSafe was developed to give the public as much information about their surroundings as possible. The app, WalkSafe+, enables users to plan the safest route home, along with a host of additional features to help ensure a safer experience for all. 

Racegoers will be able to learn more about the innovative and free-to-download app over the course of the raceday, and get the chance to speak with its founder, Emma Kay, who strives every day to educate and highlight the importance of safety in all walks of life. Emma will also feature on one of the panels, sharing her insights and experiences as part of the discussions. 

This second iteration of Women’s Day, now making its debut at Doncaster, serves as a potential alternative to traditional Ladies’ Day. Virgin Bet, in partnership with Doncaster Racecourse, is proud to continue fostering a celebratory environment, reminding everyone that racing truly welcomes all. 

Dominic Vye, Marketing Director, Virgin Bet, said: 

“Horse racing owes much of its success to the incredible women who contribute so much behind the scenes, and it’s time we celebrate their achievements. At Virgin Bet, as part of our ‘A Good Bet’ brand campaign, we want to make sport more accessible and highlight brilliance, no matter who the subject is, and this initiative is doing exactly that.” 

Presenter and ‘Women’s Day Sponsored by Virgin Bet’ collaborator, Natalie Pike, added: 

“It’s been amazing to return and once again be part of this fantastic initiative with the teams at Virgin Bet and Doncaster Racecourse. I hope this year’s event will continue to inspire and uplift the incredible women in horse racing. Creating an inclusive and safe environment for everyone in the sport is so important, and I’m proud to help bring attention to that.” 

Rachel Harwood, Executive Director of Doncaster Racecourse, continued: 

“We are proud to celebrate Women’s Day here at Doncaster Racecourse. This initiative shines a spotlight on the essential role women play in our sport. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to remind everyone that racing is for everyone, and we hope all racegoers feel that sense of inclusivity and belonging.” 

“We’re also delighted to have Virgin Bet’s Personal Safety Partner WalkSafe integrated as part of their sponsorships with us. The experience and safety for all spectators at our racecourses is a priority, so it’s fantastic to see this as part of Virgin Bet’s ‘A Good Bet’ initiatives, which aims to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all.” 

To purchase tickets, please visit: www.tickets.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk 

ENDS.

About Virgin Bet: 

Launched in May 2019, Virgin Bet™ is one of the UK’s fastest growing Sportsbooks and winner of 2021 SBC’s “Rising Star” award. With access to a huge range of betting markets across all the top sports, as well as the nation’s most popular casino products, Virgin Bet delivers a top-quality experience for its customers and has the perfect line-up to disrupt the sportsbook industry. 

Virgin Bet fuses the values and principles of the Virgin master brand with the online gaming expertise of LiveScore Group to deliver a first-class customer experience. 

VIRGIN and the Virgin Signature logo are trademarks of Virgin Enterprises Limited and are used under license. 

About LiveScore Bet: 

LiveScore Bet™, is a sportsbook offering customers in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria and the Netherlands a new and improved betting experience within the LiveScore ecosystem. Building on the existing user relationship with the trusted LiveScore brand that is already a core part of the live sport experience, LiveScore Bet seeks to deliver a best-in-class product and represents a new opportunity for customers to bet responsibly. LiveScore Bet has been able to emerge from the crowd with a vibrant personality, a world-class product and demonstrable growth that has set it apart from the chasing pack. 

It is one of the fastest-growing sportsbooks in the UK and the recent winner of several prestigious industry awards including International Gaming Awards 2023 ‘Best Mobile Product of the Year’, EGR Operator 2022 ‘Rising Star’, SBC 2022 ‘Rising Star’, EGR Marketing Awards 2022 ‘Innovation in Sports Betting’. 

About WalkSafe: 

The innovative and free-to-download app WalkSafe+, founded by Emma Kay a dedicated advocate for personal safety, empowers users to plan their routes and stay safe while walking outside alone. Featuring journey sharing features and insights from community sources, WalkSafe also offers a unique ‘safe-spaces’ feature, providing users with the location for a place of refuge in times of distress or danger. 

Journey planning and sharing features include: 

  • Safety Map – Helps people see the location of safety accredited venues across the UK, using interactive icons, so they can plan safer nights out. 
  • HomeSafe – Set a specific place and a specific time and share your journey plan with loved ones. If you don’t successfully complete your journey, your loved ones are notified. (This feature is non-location sharing).
  • Follow Me – Walking the dog? Going for a run? Just wandering? Follow Me allows you to start a journey with no destination in mind. Simply select a length of time to share your location for and select friends to keep you safe then you’re good to go! 
  • WalkSafe journey sharing – Going somewhere? WalkSafe journeys allow you to share your location with your trusted friends. Your location will update in real-time  allowing your loved ones to keep you safe on your journey.