Tag: National Hunt racing

Hibs community charity under starter’s orders at Musselburgh Racecourse

HIBERNIAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RACEDAY

SUNDAY 15th FEBRUARY

Musselburgh Racecourse has teamed up with Hibernian FC to launch a new raceday which support the Edinburgh club’s highly respected community charity.

The Hibernian Community Foundation Raceday on Sunday 15 February echoes the proud charitable heritage of the Leith club which was formed in 1875 to help support local communities through match gate receipts.

The raceday features seven jumps races and opens with the £10,000 Sunshine on Leith maiden hurdle over two miles, and the three mile Famous Five handicap chase has been named after the legendary Hibs team of the 1950s.

A special admission ticket will donate £2 from each sale to the Hibernian Community Foundation and as with all Musselburgh racedays, children aged 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

The Hibernian Community Foundation focuses its attention on two key components – community football and community development.

The charity aims to provide footballing opportunities to all, regardless of background, skill level, or ambition to progress in the game, while its community outreach development programmes provide safe and warm spaces, hearty and healthy meals, activities for the elderly, and a welcoming community for all.

Musselburgh Racecourse Head of Marketing and Business Development, Aisling Johnston, said: “Whether you’re coming to support a great cause, celebrate the club, or simply enjoy a brilliant day out, The Hibernian Community Foundation Raceday promises excitement, pride, and community spirit in equal measure.

“This new event recognises the incredible work the Foundation does across Edinburgh and beyond – and you may even catch a glimpse of some of the club’s footballing legends.

“The racecourse is sandwiched between Easter Road Stadium and the magnificent club training centre in Ormiston, which provides amazing access to East Lothian residents, so we were delighted to support the charitable foundation by hosting this special raceday.”

Hibernian Community Foundation Head of Community and Depute CEO, Katie Stewart, said: “The Hibernian Community Foundation is extremely excited to partner with such a prominent member of the Edinburgh community in Musselburgh Racecourse.

“The day will be a great opportunity for racegoers to learn about the Foundation and support our numerous activities, while taking in all the exciting action on the track. We are really looking forward to working closely together in the future on premium events that gives a platform to our community programmes and activities.”

Gates open at noon on 15 February, first race is scheduled for 1.50pm and last race 4.50pm (provisional).

For more information and to book tickets visit: www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh Racecourse adds Irish accent to season’s premier jumps meeting

The pinnacle of Musselburgh Racecourse’s jumps season takes on a distinctive Irish theme this weekend.

The Bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials Weekend over Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February will celebrate the spirit and heritage synonymous with the famous Cheltenham Festival staged every March at the iconic racing venue.

With more than £400,000 in prize money over the two days, the East Lothian track’s standout jumps fixture typically attracts the UK and Ireland’s leading trainers, owners and horses to what is now established as the largest Cheltenham Trials weekend in Scotland.

Racegoers can enjoy the infectious sounds of traditional Irish music bands, including Savage Cabbage and The Good Roosters, and spontaneous pop-up Irish dance performances across the racecourse, filling the day with colour, rhythm and the unmistakable energy of the Emerald Isle.

Musselburgh has partnered with famous Edinburgh Irish pub Dropkick Murphy’s to add to the Irish-inspired atmosphere, piper Lewis Saunders will play on the Saturday and Irish dancers will perform. On the opening day there will also be an After Race Party following the final race (4.11pm) with live music providing a fitting finale to round off celebrations.

Racegoers booking admission tickets before midnight on Friday 30 January can save £3 per person on the normal admission price, which is £35 on Saturday and £30 on Sunday.

Saturday’s card is headlined by the prestigious £80,000 bet365 Scottish Champion Handicap Chase and the £50,000 Listed bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial, races that regularly unearth future stars bound for glory at the Cheltenham and Aintree spring festivals.

On Sunday, elite jumps racing continues with the bet365 Edinburgh National run over 3 miles 7 furlongs, and which attracts quality stayers being prepared to challenge at the premier spring jumps meetings.

Aisling Johnston, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “The road to the Cheltenham and the Grand National Festivals starts here at Musselburgh with our bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials weekend.

“With an electric atmosphere, an excellent choice of places to eat and drink, and the opportunity to see the country’s top owners, trainers, jockeys and horses in action, this is a must-attend event for all jumps racing fans.

“This year we are imitating the unique Irish-influenced atmosphere prevalent at the Cheltenham Festival proper, with quality entertainment and by partnering with Dropkick Murphy’s to add to the enjoyment and spectacle of what is one of Scotland’s premier racing events.”

Musselburgh will also welcome students from across Scotland to the Sunday meeting, carrying on the tradition of introducing younger racegoers to the sport.

Following feedback from last year, the raceday experience will be enhanced with additional bars for students, while guests holding regular raceday tickets can enjoy dedicated facilities, including The Rockavon bar and Café 1816.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

PICTURES: Alan Rennie

Musselburgh’s richest meeting of the year under Starter’s Orders

Musselburgh Racecourse’s richest racing festival of the year in under Starter’s Orders with an impressive £430,000 on offer over the bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials weekend.

On Saturday (1 February) with £230,000 in prize money on offer, the £100,000 bet365 Scottish Champion Chase takes centre stage at the six-card meeting.

And if the East Lothian course plays its cards right, the BHA have indicated that in time this 2m 4 furlong handicap chase could be elevated to Listed status alongside other Class 1 event the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle.

Scottish-owned The Kalooki Kid heads the betting in the Champion Chase (2.50pm). The Nicky Richards-trained gelding, who carries the colours of Kirkcaldy businessman Eddie Melville, has been raised 7lbs for an impressive strike at Doncaster in December.

Last year’s winner Corrigeen Rock defends his crown with Milnathort-based trainer Lucinda Russell also set to saddle Traprain Law. Minella Drama, trained by Donald McCain, is top-weight on a BHA mark of 150 while Marble Sands, the winner of last year’s Frodon Novices’ Chase, represents joint-trainers David Killahena and Graeme McPherson.

Paul Nicholls, who has a tremendous record at the Scottish Cheltenham Trials, is set to be to have runners from his Somerset stable on both days. The 14-time champion trainer is bidding for a hat-trick of wins in the opening race, the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle (1.42pm) and he relies on once-raced €135,000 purchase Nardaran, who is prominent in the market along with Maitre En Science, trained by his nephew and former assistant Harry Derham.

Nicholls, who last year enjoyed five winners over the two days at Musselburgh, could again be the one to beat in the bet365 Scottish County Hurdle with Afadil, a previous winner of the Scottish Triumph Hurdle, bidding to repeat his victory of twelve months ago. A wide-open race sees Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe double-handed with Florida Dreams (Nicky Richards) and Maghlaak (Adrian Keatley).

Sunday’s feature race of a seven-card meeting with prize money totalling £200,000 is the £75,000 bet365 Edinburgh National Handicap Chase over a marathon 3m 7f (2.25pm)

Top-weight King Turgeon could be an interesting runner for his West Country trainer David Pipe as his three wins in the autumn included a strike over the Grand National fences at Aintree. Last year’s hero Iris Oirr (Lucinda Russell) and Magna Sam (Alistair Ralph), the 2023 winner, are also among the entries.

Classy Flat recruit Wise Eagle, winner of the 2023 Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh, is a fascinating entry for the bet365 Scottish Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Northumberland handler Adam Nicol.

In the bet365 Frodon Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (1.55pm), Benson, successful over hurdles at the track’s New Year’s Day meeting in 2023 and 2024, has been pencilled in by Borders trainer Sandy Thomson and he could be joined by Breizh River, trained by former jockey Paul Robson.

Musselburgh’s February racing festival is long established an important staging post for leading trainers looking to compete at the famous Cheltenham and Aintree festivals in the Spring and the coastal track has hosted some great prospects over the years, with many of the country’s top trainers happy to make the trip north to take on Scotland’s best home-trained horses.

With seven races screened lived on ITV, racecourse general manager Bill Farnsworth is delighted with the quality of runners. He said: “Each year we aim to attract the most progressive racehorses and the country’s leading trainers and this year’s bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials will not disappoint.

“The track is in excellent condition, we have no weather concerns with a forecast of dry and sunny spells, so the stage is set for an excellent weekend of first class national hunt racing. We hope racing fans will take advantage of the opportunity to get up close to the next generation of potential Cheltenham and Aintree champions.”

Gates open on Saturday at 11.30am with the first race scheduled for 1.42pm and Six Nations rugby fans will not miss out with the Scotland v Italy match screened in all bars. On Sunday gates also open at 11.30am with the first race scheduled for 1.22pm

For further information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh Racecourse ready to race after Easter Saturday disappointment

Musselburgh Racecourse director Bill Farnsworth said he was confident the East Lothian track’s final jumps meeting of the season would go ahead tomorrow (Friday 5 April).

Farnsworth was speaking after the crushing disappointment of having to abandon Musselburgh’s opening Flat meeting on Easter Saturday due to incessant rain which saturated parts of the course.

He said: “We are absolutely gutted to lose Easter Saturday but it has hardly stopped raining since October. Another 18mm on Friday and Saturday morning tipped us over the edge and we were left with little choice but to call it off.”

Friday’s Go North Jumps Raceday takes places on the sand-based jumps track which drains must faster than Musselburgh’s Flat track, explained the racecourse boss.

He said: “While the Flat the track needs regular watering throughout the summer, we don’t water the jumps track, so that is a factor in our favour for Friday.

“It will be very soft but fortunately jump horses are bred to race on softer ground and it is certainly more suitable for Jump racing than Flat racing. I am as confident as we can be, that Friday’s meeting will be fine despite another wet week in East Lothian.”

Musselburgh’s fixture is the first of three weekend meetings – with others at Kelso and Carlisle – which constitute the finals of the Go North national hunt series and has attracted a healthy 77 declarations for the seven race card.

Gates open at 2.30pm and the first race is scheduled for 4.30pm. For more information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh makes hay this weekend with The Farmers Raceday

Musselburgh Racecourse’s next raceday will raise funds for a charity set up in memory of young farmer George Crawford.

The Farmers Raceday on Sunday (18 Feb) is run in partnership with The George Crawford Trust which helps young people from all walks of life and all abilities to reach their full potential.

George, the late son of Melrose farmers Cameron and Mary Crawford, had a glass-half-full attitude to life and was described as a “natural leader” when he passed away aged only 20 following a road accident in 2018.

The East Lothian course has also partnered with The Scottish Association of Young Farmers Club (SAYFC) and is set to welcome young farmers from across the country for the seven-card £54,000 fixture.

Feature race of the day is the £10,000 Join Tote.co.uk the cream of the crop handicap hurdle (2.45pm) which is followed by the Watch Racing TV Now handicap chase (3.20pm) also worth £10,000. Gates open at noon and the first race is at 1.45pm.

SAYFC members can take advantage of a Young Farmers admission package costing only £15 if booked in advance and £2 from each ticket will be donated to The George Crawford Trust.

Musselburgh Racecourse Head of Marketing, Aisling Johston, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming all our racegoers, including Young Farmers and all farmers alike.

“In addition to the exciting action on track, we will have music throughout the day as well as an after-racing party, so this is the perfect opportunity to mingle and have fun with fellow SAYFC members.”

For more information and to book tickets, please visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh’s £430,000 Scottish Cheltenham Trials attracts top trainers this weekend 

Confirming the appeal of Musselburgh Racecourse’s bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials which benefits from a significant increase in prize money, legendary trainer Paul Nicholls is expected to make his first appearance at the East Lothian course this weekend.

Little wonder the two-day fixture, (3 and 4 February) which includes Musselburgh’s first £100,000 jumps race and a total £430,000 prize fund, has caught the eye of the 14 times champion trainer and his contemporaries.

In Saturday’s big ticket race, the bet365 Edinburgh National which at over 4 miles is a top draw for the country’s leading stayers, last year’s comfortable winner Magna Sam is among the thirteen declarations. Trained in Shropshire by Alistair Ralph, the ten-year-old will be looking for his fourth victory on this fifth visit to the track.

Liam Harrison and Fergal O’Brien, the Edinburgh National winning combination in 2022 with Captain Cattistock, are represented by Landen Calling, who won the Lincolnshire National at Market Rasen on Boxing Day.

Paul Nicholls, who boasts a 33 per-cent strike-rate with his Somerset raiders and has close to 150 Grade 1 winners to his credit, is double-handed with Truckers Lodge and Enrico, while Irish handler Gavin Cromwell saddles Peaches And Cream under rising star Ben Harvey and local favourite Lucinda Russell is responsible for another of the market principals, Inis Orr, who was fifth in the Lincolnshire equivalent.

The opening contest at 1.40pm, the £25,000 bet365 Frodon Novices’ Handicap Chase, carries the name of the horse ridden to so many memorable triumphs by Bryony Frost (course figures 6-16), who partners likely favourite Monmiral for Paul Nicholls.

Frodon actually won this contest under Sam Twiston-Davies in 2017 and is now spending his retirement with Bryony, who recorded a treble on this card in 2020 after enjoying her first strike under Rules on the same day five years earlier.

In the bet365 Scottish County Handicap Hurdle (2.50pm) Nicholls also runs Afadil, successful in last year’s Scottish Triumph Hurdle, but shouldering top-weight is Sandy Thomson’s Benson, a recent all-the-way winner of the Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle on New Year’s Day over 2m 4f.

Donald McCain’s Collingham and the Nicky Richard’s trained Parisencore, first and second twelve months ago, are also in a typically-competitive line-up for this £30,000 challenge.

Nicky Richards-trained Florida Dreams, a Grade 2 bumper winner at Aintree on Grand National day last season, carries the colours of Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe in the bet365 Scottish Stayers’ Novices’ Hurdle (3.25), while Midlothian owner Lynne Maclennon is represented by Got Your Back, an impressive maiden hurdle winner at Musselburgh in December for Donald McCain.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “We are delighted with the quality of entries over both days and are looking forward to an excellent weekend of quality jumps training at what is now established as one of the UK’s premier National Hunt festivals.”

Gate open on both days at 11.30am and provisional times for the first races are 1.40pm on Saturday and 1.20pm Sunday with the last race on both days at 4.35pm.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh to host its most valuable jumps meeting

£430,000 bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials

Musselburgh Racecourse’s first ever £100,000 jumps race will be the centre piece of the £430,000 bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials next weekend which will attract some of the country’s best trainers and horses.

Long established as the premier trials for horses preparing for a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree’s Grand National festive, the East Lothian course is in excellent condition for welcoming aspiring champions on 3 and 4 February.

Recently retired Frodon (King George VI Chase), Mighty Thunder (Scottish Grand National) and Greaneteen (Celebration Chase and Tingle Creek) are just three fine examples of Grade 1 champions who featured at previous Scottish Cheltenham Trials festivals.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “Jumps fans will struggle to find a better prospect next weekend than the bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials, which is one of the most ambitious programmes ever staged at Musselburgh.

“The £100,000 Edinburgh National (Saturday) is our richest ever jumps race and at over 4 miles it fits nicely in to the stayers’ programme for trainers eyeing up the Grand National and the Scottish Grand National.”

The same seven fixture card also features the £25,000 bet365 Frodon Novices’ Handicap Chase and the £30,000 bet365 Scottish County Hurdle, with ITV covering the first three races live and going better on Sunday with the first five contests broadcast.

On the second day of the festival Musselburgh debuts a new race, the £80,000 bet365 Scottish Champion Handicap Chase, which is aimed at the top two-and-a-half mile handicap chasers.

Farnsworth added: “We are excited to see the entries for this new race and also on the Sunday we have one of our most popular fixtures, the £40,000 bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle, which is Musselburgh’s only Class 1 race and is a proper test for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.

“This weekend is by far the most valuable fixture yet staged at Musselburgh so we are expecting it will catch the attention of trainers the length and breadth of the country and we anticipate quantity and quality in the entries.”

Gate open on both days at 11.30am and provisional times for the first races are 1.40pm on Saturday and 1.20pm Sunday with the last race on both days at 4.35pm.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh on home straight with final two race meetings of 2022

Musselburgh Racecourse will see out 2022 with two Christmas racedays on Mondays 5 and 19 December before preparing for an expected sell-out occasion on New Year’s Day.

The Festive Jumps meeting on Monday (5 December) is an £80,000 seven race card with the feature race the two-mile Everyrace Live on Racing TV juvenile hurdle, supported by a £15,000 three mile handicap hurdle.

Members of the neighbouring Elite Loretto Choir will get racegoers into the festive spirt with a selection of seasonal tunes and representatives from the East Lothian Foodbank (ELF) will be at the racecourse to raise funds.

Supported by the Trussell Trust, ELF are working to provide Christmas boxes for local families to ensure they have the ingredients to enjoy a festive meal. As part of a continued partnership with ELF, the racecourse will provide a free adult ticket to the race meeting on Tuesday 3January for all recipients living in the Musselburgh area.

The £50,000 Christmas Jumper Race Day on 19 December is another seven race card with the feature race the £10,000 Watch on Racing TV novice handicap chase over 2 miles 4 furlongs. Musselburgh staff will be wearing Christmas jumpers and are encouraging race goers to do the same, with prizes for the best festive jumpers.

Aisling Johnston, Musselburgh Racecourse marketing manager, said: “Monday racing in the run up to Christmas can be a nice escape from the frenzy of city centre shopping, but we will be doing our bit to spread good cheer and to get race goers in to the festive spirit.

“We are happy to welcome again East Lothian Food Bank and to support them supporting local families, and we are delighted that the talented choir from neighbouring Loretto School will be here on 5 December.

“At our meeting on 19 December we are hoping to see lots of race goers sporting Christmas jumpers at what will be our last race day of 2022 before we prep for the big meeting on New Year’s Day.”

Gates open on both days at 11am and general admission tickets priced £20 can be purchased online by visiting www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Musselburgh Racecourse kicks off jumps season with new race in honour of the late Duke of Edinburgh

A new race commemorating the HRH Prince Philip will be launched tomorrow (Wednesday 2 Nov) at the opening meeting of Musselburgh Racecourse’s jumps season.

The East Lothian course received Royal approval to mark the late Duke of Edinburgh’s visits to the course by staging the Prince Philip Perpetual Challenge Cup, a £25,000 stayers’ chase over three and a half miles.

Highlights of Musselburgh’s 11-fixture National Hunt season include the traditional New Year’s Day meeting, the bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials weekend in early February, and the Go North festival in late March.

With advance ticket sales for New Year’s Day doing well, racecourse general manager Bill Farnsworth revealed the track capacity has been increased to 7,000, which if it sells out would be a modern day record attendance at a Musselburgh jumps meeting.

He said: “We were heading for a sell-out last New Year’s Day but due to the pre-Christmas Covid spike the meeting had to be held behind-closed doors. That was obviously very disappointing, but we hope to build on this to kick off 2023 in great style, and with a full house at Musselburgh there is no better place to be on the first of January.”

On top of an excellent race card, race goers will have the added bonus of witnessing the running of the world’s oldest amateur athletics race as the famous New Year Sprint returns to Musselburgh after a short break.

The bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials over the weekend of 4-5 February will boast prize money of more than £250,000 with the Scottish County Hurdle and Edinburgh National races on the Saturday carrying prize money of £40,000 and £50,000, respectively.

The feature race on the Sunday is the Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial which has increased prize money from £25,000 to £40,000. Bill Farnsworth added: “This is Musselburgh’s only Class 1 race and with the support of the British Horseracing Authority, which recognised our Triumph Hurdle as a key prep race for the Cheltenham showpiece in March, we are delighted to have been able to increase the prize fund.”

The Go North Race Day on Friday 24 March closes Musselburgh’s jumps season and is part of a weekend festival of racing which includes Kelso and Carlisle racecourses. Go North celebrates the horses and trainers who have competed on the Northern circuit throughout the winter months and features seven £30,000 finals over the three tracks.

Bill Farnsworth added: “We had a great crowd at last year’s Go North finale and hope to repeat that in 2023 but we have a lot of racing to get through before that. The course is in fantastic condition and we can’t wait to get started and to welcome people back for an exciting jumps season.”

To find out more information, full fixture details, and to book tickets, visit:

www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk

Under starter’s orders at the Cheltenham Festival

‘All systems go’ despite windy forecast for Festival

On the eve of the Cheltenham Festival, the highlight of the jump racing season, Clerk of the Course Simon Claisse discussed the current state of the ground and what he is expecting the weather to do over the four days.

Continue reading Under starter’s orders at the Cheltenham Festival