Perth on course for racing

RACING is set to resume at Perth racecourse from tomorrow.

A nine-race behindclosed-doors event featuring 88 declarations starts at 4.10pm with the Perth Is Back On Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle.

Among the highlights on the card, Amalfi Doug bids for more Perth success under recently-crowned champion jumps jockey Brian Hughes in the Scottish Tourism Alliance Handicap Hurdle.

Hazel Peplinski, Perth Racecourse chief executive, said: “It has been a nervous time leading up to this delayed restart, because until we had the full declaration of runners I didn’t know if the meeting would cover the costs of opening back up to stage racing.

“I would like to thank all who have supported Perth at this very difficult time.

“Having horses arriving in the stables for the first time in 10 months shall be a very pleasant reminder of why we do this job.”

See page 26 for tomorrow’s Perth runners.

WHILE he may have wished for superhero powers to speed up his journey, Dundee’s determined Batman has completed his latest mission.

Serviceman John Castle, 52, donned his prized costume to raise hundreds of pounds for charity by walking 16 and a half miles from Arbroath to Dundee.

And his secret ingredient? A packet of wine gums.

The Dundee FC supporter, who works as a personal trainer in the military, raised almost £700 for the NHS, Support the Dee and Roxburghe House in the process.

The caped crusader said: “It’s amazing how many people saw it and helped me out.

“Using social media has made things like this so much easier and a lot better.

“If the NHS and Roxburghe House get a little more cash that’s great.

“If more people did something like this then the charities would benefit a lot.

“As long as everyone does a wee bit, it goes towards a cause.

“Also, when the kids see Batman, they go mental.”

While many may have struggled to take part in the six-hour trek, it was no challenge for John.

He said: “My wife drove me out to Arbroath, and I just grabbed a bottle of water and a packet of wine gums and got my head down.

“I started off just down from Pleasureland and walked to the Stannergate in Dundee.

“The good thing is the wind was blowing in my face the whole way there, it kept me nice and cool.”

The walk isn’t the first time John has suited up for charity.

In 2013, he joined a group of US Marines for a charity marathon around a military base in Afghanistan in order to raise money for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

“To raise money for the Boston victims, I chose to take part in a half-marathon some US Marines were organising,” he said. “My wife sent the suit out, and I was the only British guy out with the Marine Corps.

“I think we raised about $300. “I still had the Batman suit sitting around, and I just thought it would be a good way to raise some cash for a good cause.”