Formula 1 for horses
Formula 1- style Series comes to town
Ayr Racecourse is in clover after bagging a new £ 5 million event.
The proposed series, which is making Ayr its only Scottish stop, is likely to take place on Thursday evenings next summer.
It is being dubbed a “Formula 1- style event on four legs.”
A £ 5 million horseracing event will debut at Ayr next summer.
The Formula 1- style series will see eight tracks across the UK stage 48 high profile races.
Named The Series and run by Championship Horse Racing, Ayr has been chosen as the only Scottish stop in the new format.
Eight tracks will welcome teams comprising 30 horses, four jockeys and a racing manager who will contest races worth £ 100,000 each.
And it’s a huge feather in the cap for the Craigie course which was chosen along with Epsom, Leopardstown, Goodwood, Haydock, Newbury, Newmarket and Sandown.
The proposed races are likely to take place on Thursday evenings between July 25 and September 12 and The Series could also be shown on ITV 4.
Blue chip companies are expected to be announced as sponsors of each team who will be awarded points depending on where their horse finishes in each race.
Ayr is Scotland’s only Grade 1 track and now The Series race night will slot in between the course’s two jewels in the crown – the Coral Scottish Grand National and the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Festival.
Crowned Sports Venue of the Year at the 2018 Scottish Hospitality awards, Ayr is also one of only six Large Racecourses to be awarded a Gold standard by the Racehorse Owners Association.
Jeremy Wray, Chief Executive of CHR, said: “Agreeing the likely racecourse schedule is a key milestone for CHR.
“Over the next few months we’ll be announcing the teams and the media partners who will broadcast The Series across the world.
“We’re delighted that The Series is due to take place at such a prestigious course as Ayr and that Scotland is one the three countries we debut in.
“They are great locations and have superb facilities for summer evening racing that promises fans something they’ve never experienced before.
“Fans will be encouraged to engage with the teams and our aim is to help tell the stories about the tens of thousands of people involved in the sport.”