Scotland is racing towards a sport that is on the up and over

Tradition means racing’s past is valuable. The present is also brilliant

TRADITION is a big thing in Scottish sport.

And, tomorrow at Ayr racecourse, one of our oldest major events provides proof the past and the present in horse racing in this country remains vibrant and nailed to the nation’s heart.

It’s unclear what the attendance was when the Ayr Gold Cup was first run in 1804.

But the 2018 version will see more than 10,000 stream through the gates beside the seaside for the biggest day in the flat racing calendar and one of the biggest on the sporting calendar north of the border.

Only Premiership leaders Hearts will perform in front of a bigger Scottish crowd tomorrow when they face Livingston and this is not a one-off.

Racing remains the second biggest attended sport in Scotland behind the national game and it’s no exaggeration to say business is booming north of the border at a time when many of the tracks south of the border are feeling the pinch.

The last official figures published by Scottish Racing, which account for 2016, confirms the sport generates £302million per annum for the economy. In addition there are 3500 people employed by it.

However, it is the reach to the man and woman on the street which really tells the story.

Crowds are up over 10 per cent since 2012 with more than 300,000 paying their way to watch the action two years ago.

The rise continued through 2017 and the records are set to be smashed again this year.

Each venue has its own success story. Hamilton has been transformed into one of the UK’s top tracks and the big spend on new facilities for racegoers show they’re happy to give back to the spectator.

Perth put record prize money on to the table this term and will also break through their top figures with a host of improvements being made to the site at Scone Palace Park a huge success.

Kelso are the latest to plunge in their cash for the punters. When their jumping season for 2018-19 opened on Wednesday there was a brand new parade ring and upgraded facilities for the crowds are planned.

Although there has been many issues off the track at Musselburgh the action, facilities and support on it has been outstanding again and it’s backed massively by the loyal local community around the East Lothian venue.

Ayr, where the Gold Cup takes centre stage tomorrow, remains a success story and a big part of West of Scotland life.

And they deserve this week’s big fixture after weather wrecked it a year ago.

No wonder the sport is backed. On the tracks, our troops punch well above their weight.

Mark Johnston, a proud Scot, is now the most successful trainer in flat history.

Lucinda Russell won a Grand National, Iain Jardine won an Ebor, Jim Goldie keeps banging in winners at big meetings and jockey Danny Tudhope is now a world star. Gone are the days when racing was just about old men smoking fags and marking betting slips.

There’s proper entertainment, live bands, things for the kids to do and crucially everyone under the age of 16 gets in for free.

You can sample it for yourself. Kelso was on this week. Ayr went yesterday, today and then tomorrow for the Gold Cup. Hamilton race Sunday and Monday and Perth stage fixtures on Wednesday and Thursday before Musselburgh host a fixture on Sunday week.

Tradition means racing’s past is valuable, yet the present is also brilliant.

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