MUSSELBURGH Racecourse has announced an investment of £667,000 in prize money over its three next race meetings to support horse racing in the north.
An average of £33,000 per race is on offer across 20 flat and jumps races and the East Lothian track’s opening flat meeting on Easter Saturday will provide more than £300,000 in prize money.
The Go North raceday on Friday is the first event and carries £160,000 prize money over six races, including three £40,000 finals for jumps horses which have supported northern tracks over the jumps season.
Easter Saturday (4 April) will mark the start of the Scottish flat season with Musselburgh’s Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Raceday, as well as the introduction of a new class one race – the £80,000 Listed Goliath Cup over one mile six furlongs – which further strengthens the card.
Picture: Alan Rennie
The supporting Easter Saturday card includes established handicaps, notably the £70,000 five furlong Scottish Sprint Cup, the £50,000 one mile six furlong Queen’s Cup, and the £50,000 seven furlong Silver Arrow, contributing to a £307,000 programme across the day.
The third compelling fixture is the Sky Bet Sunday Series Raceday on 12 April with more than £200,000 in prize money on offer over seven races, providing valuable opportunities for the connections of Class 4 and 5 horses, which underpin the northern Flat racing programme.
Musselburgh Racecourse director, Bill Farnsworth, said: “This year we have increased prize money across 26 fixtures by £200,000 to £2.64m, in recognition that prizemoney is the lifeblood of the sport.
“The strategic investment into prize money in recent years at the top end of the sport improves the cream at the top, which we all enjoy, but the cream only exists if there is good quality milk to support it.
“We are pleased that across these three racedays, Musselburgh with the backing of Chester Race Company, can support the participants who are the bedrock of the sport and the Go North raceday provides a fitting conclusion to Musselburgh’s jumps season.
“Easter Saturday is our most valuable flat fixture and is strong on quality handicaps, whilst we are also supporting the staying race programme with the introduction of the new Listed Goliath Cup, and the Sky Bet Sunday Series, which is for the owners and trainers of those horses which underpin the flat race programme in the UK.
“More than £660,000 prize money spread over three fixtures provides 20 valuable opportunities for owners and we hope this will encourage them to invest in our brilliant sport in the future.”
