Perth all set for richest race

Gold Cup offers record prize as meeting breaks £100,000

Perth Racecourse will stage its richest race and meeting a week tomorrow when the Class 2 Gold Cup has £40,000 on offer within a record £106,000 card.

Buoyed by a successful seasonopening three-day festival and sold-out Ladies Day, as well as a new partnership with The Energy Check, Perth yesterday committed an additional £10,000 to the Gold Cup prize pot.

That establishes the £40,000 Energy Check Gold Cup as the richest race in Perth’s 405-year history, with total prize-money available across the seven-race card also a record high.

Hazel Peplinski, chief executive at the course, said: “We’ve had a really solid start to the season at Perth with our enhanced race programme receiving superb support so far.

“That has given us early impetus and confidence for the remainder of the season so we have decided to pass on the exciting fresh investment from our new partners The Energy Check to the horsemen who provide the participants for our magnificent sport.

“We thank all those who have so staunchly supported our season so far and warmly welcome The Energy Check into our growing portfolio of commercial partners.

“The track at Perth is benefiting from the current spell of warmer weather and we would be confident of producing a fantastic racing surface for next Sunday.

“Last week we witnessed some stunning action on the track and it’s all systems go for producing a quality card to savour for our loyal racing fans.”

The Gold Cup has a history of being contested by top quality chasers with 2016 runner-up Menorah the highest rated horse to grace Perth for two decades and last year’s winner, Beeves, being aimed at the Grand National.

Picture: Steven Brown. Action from last year’s Gold Cup race at Perth.