Hamilton Park Racecourse has increased its prize money for the 2015 season with a £900,000 pot up for grabs.
In the last two years the prize money on offer at Hamilton Park has increased by 15% with individual race prize money this season ranging from £4,000 to £40,000 – 35% more prize money than stipulated by the BHA’s Minimum Values.
The increase in prize money has been made possible with a 25% increase in Executive Contribution which is enabled by increased media rights income. The Executive Contribution equates to 56% of Hamilton Park’s total prize money – above the national average racecourse contribution of 45%.
Ahead of this year’s season, which begins on Sunday 3 May, the racecourse has unveiled some of the racing highlights that race goers can look forward to including the new Hamilton Park 2-Y-O Series, last staged in 2007 but this time around with the fresh commercial backing of Highland Spring.
Clerk of the Course, Hazel Peplinski, promises an exciting season ahead. “Attracting the best possible horses, trainers and jockeys to Hamilton Park Racecourse is one of our priorities as we aim to provide the highest quality of racing that we can afford. We hope that increasing our prize money again this season will prove another attractive incentive to choose Hamilton Park. We are looking ahead to a really good season. We have reduced the number of Class 6 races by 8 in total and aim to maintain the average field size which is vital to the appeal of our racing here.
“Our flagship Fair Friday card on 17 July carries two very prestigious individual races with the £40,000 EBF Stallions Glasgow Listed Stakes (Class 1) and the £34,000 John Smith’s Scottish Stewards Cup (Class 2). We have also enhanced the quality of our already renowned Lanark Silver Bell night with a second Class 3 Handicap building the total value of that late August evening fixture to £62,000.”
The reinstated Highland Spring Water Hamilton Park 2-Y-O Series shall stage 11 Qualifiers over the summer exclusively at Hamilton Park and will culminate in a £20,000 Final on Tuesday 1 September. Another significant boost is a new £10,000 Selling Stakes named after prolific winning mare Hopes N Dreams who herself started her winning streak as a lowly Seller at Hamilton Park but has now won over £40,000 at the South Lanarkshire venue including a Class 2 Conditions Stakes.
Hazel added: “It is expensive to promote a race programme in Scotland when over 75% of our clientele is based more than 250 miles away which is why we offer on average 30% over and above the BHA minimum values for each Class of race. Owners and trainers can be confident of receiving a traditional warm Scottish welcome at Hamilton Park and just this week we have taken that welcome to them with a two day roadshow in England to promote the season highlights, which has been very well received and was most enjoyable. The start is just around the corner and the track itself is flourishing with all the recent sunny weather.
Visitors to the venue during the 2015 season can also enjoy free wi-fi, upgraded hospitality suites and grandstand, and increased provision of poor weather cover.