Longines to Enter In-Race Tracking Market
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Longines, a prominent supporter of horse racing through sponsorships in recent years, will enter the in-race horse tracking business Saturday, April 11, when its technology is used for the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Aus-I) day of racing.
Longines unveiled its Longines Positioning System Technology during a press conference Friday, April 10, at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia.
A Longines release said its new LPS incorporates a permanent or portable, easily deployable system that sets a new standard for accurate, reliable and repeatable timekeeping and tracking results that will provide huge benefit to both the horseracing industry and enthusiasts.
"For Longines, investing in technological advancements is the latest step in our long term relationship with horseracing. The Longines Positioning System delivers a number of benefits to the sport and is a game-changer for the racing industry," said Longines head of international marketing Juan-Carlos Capelli. "Whether you are a horse racing enthusiast, a world renowned jockey, or a TV broadcaster, access to more accurate, flexible data allows you to understand, share and act on the intricacies of performance as never before.
"We are excited to see how the LPS technology can be utilized in the future to improve the experience for racing spectators, TV viewers and even smartphone and tablet users. There is no question that live performance data enhances viewing experience and depth of understanding. Understanding leads to improvement, and improvement leads to winning: for all."
Australian Turf Club chief executive officer Darren Pearce said Royal Randwick is proud to be the first to offer the Longines technology.
"The Australian Turf Club is honored to see this innovative technology installed at Royal Randwick Racecourse and used for the very first time at the Championships Day 2, Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day," Pearce said. "The ability to more accurately and repeatedly track real-time performance data is very exciting for horseracing and the LPS system has the potential to benefit our members, racegoers, racing professionals, and punters."
The LPS tracking provides instant data on the exact position of horses during a race, race rankings, the distance between horses and speed. It boasts accuracy down to 5 centimeters and features up to 1,000 measurements per second.
In a further major announcement, Longines confirmed it has become the official partner, official timekeeper, and official watch for Rosehill Gardens, specifically for the prominent Longines Golden Slipper Carnival.