RICHEST RACE DAY OF THE SEASON HIGHLY ANTICIPATED AS HAMILTON PARK RACECOURSE GEARS UP FOR JOHN SMITH’S FAIR FRIDAY
The most valuable racing of the year at Hamilton Park Racecourse is almost here with over £140,000 of prize-money on offer on Thursday and Friday this week.
The richest races take place on Friday (17 July), the historic John Smith’s Fair Friday Night card which features both the £40,000 EBF Stallions Glasgow Listed Stakes and the £34,000 John Smith’s Scottish Stewards Cup.
Hamilton Park Racecourse has made significant investment into the two days which has been rewarded with a number of really strong entries.
Racegoers will be treated to a top quality card on Friday night with half of the 20 entries for the showpiece Listed contest being based in Newmarket whilst the home support is represented by Hamilton Park’s current leading trainer Keith Dalgleish’s promising Tommy Doc.
The John Smith’s Scottish Stewards Cup is always a popular mid-season highlight in the North and it has attracted plenty of well-regarded sprinters from the top northern yards such as Tim Easterby’s Grissom – the 2012 Scottish Stewards Cup winner and Kevin Ryan’s prolific course and distance winner, Hopes N Dreams.
Michael Dods’ Mass Rally, Keith Dalgleish’s Stonefield Flyer, Paul Midgley’s Another Wise Kid, David Barron’s Fast Track, David Nicholl’s Kimberella and Richard Fahey’s Arctic Feeling, Boy In The Bar and Tatlisu are also set to run. The star entry amongst them however must be Rex Imperator who actually won The Stewards Cup at Goodwood in 2013.
Clerk of the Course Hazel Peplinski said: “Since the EBF supported Glasgow Stakes moved from May to this slot in July, trainers appear to be finding it a more useful opportunity. Last year Luca Cumani used it as a stepping stone for his promising but inexperienced Postponed, ahead of his stunning win in York’s Great Voltigeur (Group 2). That is the calibre of horse we aim to attract to this most famous of evening meetings for our regular race-goers who deserve a quality card such as this. Eight of these high class entries have their sights on The £250,000 Qatar Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood on 1 August for which the weights have already been published. This makes this opportunity at Hamilton Park, which has similar topography to Goodwood’s six furlong course, all the more appealing as a prep race.”
The race card for Thursday 16 July includes the totepool sponsored £10,000 feature race for staying handicappers sure to be a spectacle with the 1m 5f start taking place in front of the main grandstand.
Thursday also marks the halfway point in the Hamilton Park season with local trainer Keith Dalgleish leading the Hamilton Park Trainers Championship with the most number of winners – six in total having saddled 40 runners already this season.
Gates open for The Racing UK Club Raceday on Thursday 16 July at 12 noon with the first race at 2.10pm.
Race-goers will also be entertained on John Smith’s Fair Friday Racenight with Oasish – one of the UK’s leading tribute acts. Everything gets underway at 4pm with the action packed racing, including the two feature races, starting at 6.05pm.