Perth Morshead tribute
● Late course chief honoured by Gold Cup renaming
Perth Race course has renamed its Gold Cup The Sam M ors head Perth Gold Cup Handicap Steeple Chase in honour of them an who revolutionised racing at the Scone track.
Perth will celebrate two decades of the Gold Cup race on Sunday, with a seasonhigh £40,000 prize pot, and today announced its renaming with the blessing of Sam Morshead’s family. On Gold Cup Day, Charlie Morshead (Sam’s eldest son) and family will be in attendance as guests of Perth Race course and to present the Per th Gold Cup for the renamed race.
UK horse racing mourned the passing of Morshead in October of last year. Asucc es sful jump jockey of 400 winners who arrived at Perth as clerk of the course in 1998, he became general manager just five years later, a role that he held for 25 years and during which he spearheaded the creation of Per th’s Gold Cup meeting in 2000.
Current Perth chief executive Hazel Peplinski said: “Sam is so affectionately remembered by everyone at Perth, in Scottish racing and indeed British racing.
“I know much of his family well and we have had some fun conversations planning an appropriate tribute that does full justice to Sam’s impact on Scottish racing.
“When Sam’s family chose to name a race after him there was really only one that would fit that purpose which is the Perth Gold Cup.
“Twenty years ago, Sam firstly secured the Sunday fixture and then created a quality race programme with the Per th Gold Cup, a Class 2 three-mile Chase at its centre
“Sam helped to establish Per th as friendly, innovative venue which should be on all racing fans’ bucket list.
“Many of the current team here are the same people and we ensure the fun-loving ethos that Sam established is never lost.”
Speaking on behalf of the family, Charlie Morshead – Sam’s eldest son – said: “We are so pleased that Dad’s contribution to Perth Racecourse and to Scottish and UK racing will be remembered in such a fitting way.
“The Perth Gold Cup was very special to Dad and he was rightly proud of the way it grew in tandem with the rapid development of the race - course under his management, innovation and drive.”