Musselburgh’s all set for ‘twilight’ £600k Sunday Series spectacular
Musselburgh Racecourse kicks off the £600,000 Sky Bet Sunday Series at its next meeting on Sunday.
With almost £200,000 prize money on offer at the East Lothian course, Musselburgh is joining with Haydock and Sandown to launch the triple “twilight” fixtures, which will attract leading UK trainers.
With only a shorter 25-minute gap between each of the seven races, Musselburgh
Racecourse boss Bill Farnsworth is promising a fastpaced action-packed day for racegoers.
The collaboration between Sky Bet, ITV and the three racecourses heralds the start of a new late Sunday afternoon festival of racing, with all races at Musselburgh carrying winning purses of between £20,000 and £30,000.
He said: “The aim with this new meeting and the shorter intervals is to offer sports fans and racing fans an afternoon of short, sharp action with very competitive racing and fantastic prize money.”
Sponsors Sky Bet and ITV are also supporting a £100,000 bonus prize for any jockey who wins seven races across the three fixtures and similarly a £100,000 prize for any trainer who lands a winner at each fixture.
Tickets for Musselburgh’s premier summer meeting, the Stobo Castle Ladies Day on Friday 20 August are selling fast and it seems the event will be a 5,000 sell-out, with less than 1,000 general admission ticket remaining.
The “boutique” race day will feature a celebrity Dj-set, live music, fashion shows, floral
displays and a party atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Sea Sylph can make a victorious handicap bow at Sandown.
William Haggas’ charge has not finished out of the first two in three outings to date, registering her sole success when stepping up to 10 furlongs from a mile at Windsor in June.
Having just been touched off on her only juvenile start last year, it was no surprise to see this regally-bred filly get off the mark – although she had to defy her evident inexperience as she just drifted across the track slightly in the finish before prevailing by a length.
Matamua has been thereabouts in each of her five career starts, but her time can come in the Addlestone Handicap.
She was sent off the evens favourite on her latest run at Lingfield earlier this month, but she never really looked like winning and was pipped for second on the line.
Motawaajed can make it a double on the day for Haggas by landing the whichbookie. co.uk Free Football Tips Classified Stakes at Lingfield.
This Dark Angel gelding did not make it to the track as a juvenile, but he has made up for lost time by winning one of his three starts this term.
After showing a good deal of promise when fourth on his Newcastle debut in April, Motawaajed stepped up to notch a comfortable win at Wolverhampton.