Williams is delighted that things are hotting up at Warwick Racecourse

Bumper crowds for two of the course’s flagship meetings have provided a welcome fillip and with the popular August bank holiday meeting and two Jockey Club Grassroots Series finals still to come, there remains plenty to look forward to before the summer is out.

“We had good advance sales for our jumps programme coming into the new year, but walk-up trade was disappointing, leading to a poor first three months of the year,” admitted Williams.

“But, although the Easter weather wasn’t much better, everything has picked since and we had a storming May bank holiday and a brilliant Ladies’ Day at the beginning of July, which made up for last year’s meeting that was abandoned through waterlogging.”

Much has been made of growing racecourse attendances up and down the country, with a modern-day record of 19,000 at Haydock Park recently where Madness were performing after racing.

But, for smaller course like Warwick, it needs a constant effort to attract people through the gates.

“Between 70 to 80 per cent of people only go racing once or twice a year and we need to be better at selling the entertainment value of our product,” said Williams.

“We are a sport that’s weather dependent but, when the sun shines, racing is a terrific family day out.”

While other courses are switching meetings to the weekend, there are many racing followers who think the tinkering with tradition, such as moving the Derby from its traditional Wednesday slot to a Saturday, is a mistake.

However, in Williams’ view, Warwick benefits from having two-thirds of its programme in midweek.

“What Warwick does well is appeal to the corporate market.

“What is important for the corporate client is the ambiance and the food and drink which make for a good experience. We place a lot of importance on our catering, which we do in-house.”

Later this month, the course will be hosting a Celebration of Bollywood race evening as part of the Warwick Food and Film Festival with an open-air Bollywood film on a large LED screen.

In keeping with the Indian theme, Asian food will be available across the site, including in the hospitality boxes, restaurants and food stalls.

Gates for the meeting on Wednesday 21 open at 3pm with the first of seven races due off at 5pm.

Looking further ahead, Warwick will host one of three new Listed races for mares when it stages a £20,000 hurdle on February 8 2014.

This will support its prestigious Kingmaker Novices Chase which has produced Cheltenham Festival winners Long Run and Finian’s Rainbow in recent years.