The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
The sun – and thousands of race-goers – came out for the start of Perth Festival.
For the first time, every race during the festival is sponsored
Sunshine and blue skies helped draw the crowds to one of the country’s best loved festivals of horse racing.
Thousands flocked to the course for day one of the Perth Festival.
Organisers said they are bracing themselves for record crowds after an upturn in interest for the sport.
And this year’s show boasts some of the world’s best-known trainers, including 55-time Cheltenham Festival winner Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins, who clocked up another win yesterday.
The festival is the first since new Perth Racecourse chief executive Hazel Peplinski took charge.
She said: “I’ve been incredibly lucky to walk into such an amazing organisation and have the opportunity to build on the great work which has been done by (former general manager) Sam Morshead and our late chairman David Whitaker.
“Our attendances in terms of daily average crowds were larger than any other Scottish course in 2015 and it is something I’m keen to maintain.”
She said: “The scope for the racecourse to grow is huge, with 90% of the Scottish population living within 90 minutes.”
The prize money for this year’s event is £219,000, around 8% higher than in previous years.
For the first time every race during the three-day event has been sponsored.
The year’s line-up featured Brazilian samba dancers and a balloon release to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday.
Up For Review led home a Willie Mullins one-two in the Future Champions NH Novice Hurdle on the first day of Perth’s three-day meeting yesterday.
That result reduced Paul Nicholls’ lead in the race for the British trainers’ title.
Though Nicholls also secured a winner on the day, when All Set To Go obliged at Taunton, the lead is now just over £43,200, meaning the title race looks sure to go right down to the wire.
Mullins, who is looking to become the first Irish-based trainer to claim the title since the legendary Vincent O’Brien in the 1950s, is doubly represented on the second day of Perth’s three-day fixture and has entered the likes of Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Vautour at Sandown on Saturday.
Up For Review, the 5-1 outsider of the four runners at the Scone course, put up a dominant performance from the front under Paul Townend to win by eight lengths from Nambour and Bryan Cooper.
Mullins said: “It may not have been in the order many expected but I’m delighted. It’s our first visit here and I’ve been very well looked after.
“I walked the track and it is in beautiful condition considering the winter everyone has had.”
Favourite, Fagan, ridden by Dicky Johnson, was sending out distress signals from a fair way out and failed to beat a rival home.
Fergal O’Brien’s Barney Dwan was third under Paddy Brennan.
Britain’s most northerly trainer, Inverurie-based Jackie Stephen, struck in the opening Aberdeen Asset Management Maiden Hurdle with the Tony Kelly-ridden Ballinvegga.
Champion jockey-elect Richard Johnson enjoyed an armchair all-theway success on Banyu (3-1 jointfavourite) in the Aberdeen Asset Management PLC Handicap Hurdle for Minehead trainer Philip Hobbs.
Perth Racecourse chief executive Hazel Peplinski said: “What a start to the festival with Willie writing his own script.
“The sun shone and the crowds turned out and we’re looking forward to Thursday and Friday’s action.”
Day two sees the two mile four furlong Handicap Chase for the Kilmany Challenge Cup the feature race on the card at 4pm with 10 runners.
Dare Me from the Venetia Williams’ Herefordshire stable faces nine rivals, including the Mullins-trained Tennis Cap, who successfully reverted to hurdles at Cork last month.
Miss Williams said: “Dare Me is impossible to predict but he has ability.
“He’s difficult to train but he won nicely at Ascot two runs ago so you just never know.”