Musselburgh Racecourse has ABANDONED today’s (30 March) Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Race Day.
The East Lothian track took the difficult decision to call off the meeting after further rainfall this morning which made the course unsafe for jockeys and horses.
All ticket holders will be contacted with information on how to transfer their booking to another meeting or to receive a full refund.
Racecourse director Bill Farnsworth said: “Unfortunately racing has been abandoned. We had 15mm of rain yesterday and a further 3.25mm of rain this morning between 5am and 6am.
“It has been an incredibly wet winter and the ground is very wet. Normally Musselburgh could handle this kind of weather but the water table must be so high, that this has not happened.
“The ground is saturated in places and our priority must be the safety of the jockeys and the horses. It is very disappointing, we had a brilliant day lined up for our race goers and we are sorry to have to abandon racing.”
Musselburgh Racecourse’s 16-fixture Flat season gets under starter’s orders this weekend with the Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday.
With increased prize money of £295,000 – up £65,000 on the 2023 race day – the feature race is the £100,000 Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup, which has attracted quality entries from the leading UK training yards. Meanwhile, the £45,000 Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup – Scotland’s fastest horse race – remains an attractive proposition for the five furlong specialists.
Last year’s Queen’s Cup narrow runner-up Metier, will bid to go one better in Saturday’s big race (3.35pm). Trained in Dorset by Harry Fry, he was only half a length by Wise Eagle in the 1m 6f Heritage Handicap twelve months ago, and the Grade 1 winning hurdler also landed the 2023 Chester Cup after his excellent second-placed effort at Musselburgh.
Callum Shepherd has only recorded one winner at the East Lothian track, and Newmarket trainer George Scott has booked him for the mount on Prydwen, who was only touched off by a neck at Lingfield nearly a month ago.
Berkshire Rocco was a gallant fifth in last year’s Ebor Handicap at York and Berkshire handler Andrew Balding has already secured David Probert for the ride, while Mark Johnston – who won two of the last four runnings – and his son Charlie have five entries including Yorkindness, who landed the Musselburgh Gold Cup over two miles last September.
Scottish interest centres around Jim Goldie-trained Faylaq and Lucinda Russell’s Evaluation, while Ian Jardine has three entries from his Dumfriesshire stable.
Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup at Ayr Racecourse
In the Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap (3.00pm), John and Sean Quinn could have one of the favourites in the shape of Jm Jungle. The Malton raider stopped a valuable prize in Bahrain in February when partnered by his regular pilot Hawick-born Jason Hart.
Silky Wilkie (2023) and Zarzyni (2022), winners of the last two renewals, are also among the entries for Karl Burke and David and Nicola Barron, respectively.
In the 2.25pm Virgin Bet Silver Arrow Handicap, last April’s winner, Gweedore, was successful for the second year running, and his Galashiels trainer, Katie Scott, is preparing her stable star for the hat-trick.
Musselburgh’s Flat season – which stretches to 6 November – includes the Edinburgh Cup sponsored by Edinburgh Gin on 1 June, Friday Night at the Races on 2 August, and the hugely popular Ladies Day on Friday 9 August, which typically is a sell-out event.
Racecourse director, Bill Farnsworth, said: “Sales for Easter Saturday are ahead of forecast so we are sure of an excellent atmosphere for our curtain raiser to the Flat season.
“Not surprisingly, the £100,000 purse for the Virgin Bet Queen’s Cup has caught the attention of some of the leading trainers and we can expect a very competitive contest. The fast and furious Scottish Sprint Cup will have the crowd on their feet as always.
“We have an excellent Flat racing programme evenly spread throughout the summer and autumn months which cements Musselburgh’s reputation as one of the UK’s most innovative and attractive racing venues and we look forward to welcoming guests old and new.”
Gates open on Saturday (30 March) at 11.30am, the first race is off at 1.50pm, and the last race at 5.20pm. Tickets booked before midnight on 29 March are reduced by £5 per person. Children aged years and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
TV star and mother of tennis greats will be VIP at Musselburgh Racecourse
JUDY MURRAY OBE will start the third annual Corgi Derby – the popular “four-legged sprint with a difference” that kicks off The Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse.
Taking place after 2023’s hotly contested race, the event will see the return of reigning champion Rodney, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi who saw off 13 other competitors, including a distant relative of one of the late Queen’s beloved pets.
First launched as part of the racecourse’s Jubilee celebrations, the event was moved to the annual Easter Saturday Raceday as a nod to the event’s royal connections, which include the £100,000 Queen’s Cup race named after Elizabeth II.
It has subsequently become hugely successful, attracting global media coverage and attention – and will once again hopefully be televised on ITV Racing.
Judy Murray, said: “It’s going to be a tough job to match the excitement of last year’s photo finish, but I know the dogs and their owners have been putting in the hard work behind the scenes, so I have very high hopes.
“The racecourse team have thought of everything to make this day a perfect Easter outing, whether you’re going for the family-friendly entertainment, the fun, food, friends and fizz, the top-quality racing or – like me – a combination of all of those.
“It’s one of my favourite days of the year!”
Following the Corgi Derby at 12pm, a Mini Queen’s Cup will feature local audiences of all ages from Musselburgh before an action-packed schedule of racing, including the Scottish Sprint Cup – regarded as Scotland’s fastest race.
The Queen’s Cup will see riders bid for a share of a £100,000 prize pot, with high-calibre racing from 1:50 through to 5:20.
There is an abundance of activities too available for everyone looking for an Easter get-together with a difference, including action-packed mini-events and activities for the whole family.
Aisling Johnston, Head of Marketing and Business Development with Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “We couldn’t have predicted how popular the Corgi Derby would become, they have such a great character.
“It’s the perfect way to kick off Easter Saturday, which is one of our biggest annual events, even gaining the royal seal of approval along the way. There really is something for everyone.”
Racegoers will be met with an abundance of quality food and drink offerings, from a hand-picked selection of Scotland’s best street food stalls to formal drinks and dining packages.
With an after-racing party the event promises to be one of the biggest social gatherings on the Easter social calendar.
The Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday on 30th March 2024 will open doors at 11:30 am, and the first race is off at 1:50 pm (subject to change). Book your tickets before midnight on the 29th of March and save £5.00 per person with under 17s going free when accompanied by an adult, T&Cs apply.
For more information and to book tickets now for Easter Saturday, visit:
Musselburgh Racecourse have got it licked at their next race meeting where they will be giving away a free ice cream to every child.
Teaming up with legendary Honest Toun ice cream maker, S Luca, the East Lothian course’s Luca’s Ice Cream Family Day on Tuesday 19 July has something for kids of all ages.
The afternoon gets underway with the always popular pony racing taking place on the home straight in front of the grandstand, approximately one hour before racing gets underway, and setting the tone for an exciting family day out.
Adding to the high summer festivities, Forth 1 breakfast king Boogie in the Morning will host a children’s disco during the afternoon.
With free fairground rides and free face painting keeping the kids fully entertained, adults can enjoy the thrill of the Flat with seven competitive races kicking off at 1.50pm.
As with all Musselburgh race meetings, children aged 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult, and once inside the racecourse all children’s entertainment is free.
S Luca has been selling ice cream in Musselburgh since 1908 and it is still made to an old family recipe using locally sourced milk, butter and double cream.
The company founder, Luca Scappaticcio, originally from Cassino between Rome and Naples, learned the art of ice cream making from a Swiss chef when he worked in the kitchens of the North British Hotel on Princes Street in the early part of last century.
Today, still run by family members, S Luca sell their ice cream from what is possibly the world’s only Rolls Royce ice cream van – which was built in 1923 for the Marquis De San Miguel and purchased by Luca Scappaticcio in 1937 and converted for commercial use.
Aisling Johnston, Musselburgh Racecourse’s commercial manager, said: “With the support of Luca, we are dishing up their delicious ice cream free to all kids, while legendary radio presenter Boogie is in charge of the music and dancing.
“Before the racing gets underway we also have pony racing and other entertainments during the day, including fairground rides and face painting, are all free. For mums and dads, grans and grandads and all other family members, the first of our seven Flat races is off just before 2pm.
“It promises to be a fantastic day out and there are a wide range of food and drink options available for all budgets and to satisfy all tastes.”
Gates open at noon on Tuesday 19 July, the first race is at 1.50pm and the last race is at 5.15pm.
Easter Saturday at the Races 200419
Picture: Alan Rennie
Musselburgh Racecourse will open its gates and welcome back spectators to its spectacular Easter Saturday Raceday for the first time since 2019.
The Betway Easter Saturday featuring The Queen’s Cup is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar and its return has been widely anticipated by racing enthusiasts and those in search of a great day out over the holiday weekend.
With incredible first-class racing and entertainment, the East Lothian track will host around 6,000 racing fans who will be able to enjoy an afternoon of top-quality racing, delicious street food stalls and various food and drink options throughout.
Easter Saturday, featuring the prestigious £100,000 Queen’s Cup, received the royal seal of approval from Her Majesty The Queen herself, and will be the feature race of the day. Musselburgh is also delighted to welcome back the team from ITV who will be covering four races live on ITV4 Racing.
Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, commented on the return of Easter Saturday: “We are all delighted to welcome our racing fans back to the course.
“We haven’t been able to allow race goers to Easter Saturday for the past two years, and as its one of our major flagship races of the year, we are thrilled to provide a destination for couples, friends, families, and groups looking for an Easter get together with a difference.”
Chad Yeomans, Betway’s Head of Communications and PR said, “The Betway Easter Saturday fixture is a great meeting that in 2022, will see the return of racing fans to Musselburgh racecourse.
“The Betway Queen’s Cup is the feature race on the card and is a great staying handicap while the Betway Holyrood Handicap promises a competitive dash over five furlongs.”
Kids Go Free!
For those families looking to bring the little ones, there will be a dedicated kid’s zone featuring the return of the hugely popular Easter Bunny, free game stalls, free fairground rides for all ages and free face painting. The best bit is kids 17 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
