Chester firm officially in charge at Musselburgh

The day-to-day running of Musselburgh Racecourse has officially been taken over by Chester Race Company.

Following the resumption of racing in Scotland at Ayr on Monday, the first meeting at the East Lothian track under its new management will be behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Musselburgh had been operating under a temporary licence from the British Horseracing Authority due to concerns over the governance of the track.

But that issue should be resolved by the ten-year operating agreement with East Lothian Council which sees Musselburgh join Chester and Bangor-on-dee in the company’s portfolio.

Chester Race Company chief executive Richard Thomas said: “We are delighted to be formally appointed as the new operators of Musselburgh Racecourse on behalf of East Lothian Council.

“We are committed to the long-term running and success of the racecourse and ensuring its reputation within the local community and Scottish racing is upheld.

“The entire team is excited to begin this new chapter and deliver proposals to maximise the available opportunities for the racecourse. We will look to build upon the pre-existing successes in ensuring Musselburgh continues to deliver an integral experience for visiting horsemen, racegoers and members of the local community alike.”

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “The appointment of Chester Race Company to run Musselburgh marks a new chapter in the history of our 200-year-old racecourse.

“We are delighted to be working with one of the best racecourse teams in the country. They share the same values as Musselburgh in their ambition to provide a five-star racing and hospitality experience, quality racing, excellent customer service and to invest where possible to improve the racing and customer infrastructure.”