Gerry Is McGladery All Over With Musselburgh Champion Owner Double

Edinburgh businessman Gerry McGladery was glad all over as he landed a double championship at Musselburgh Racecourse on the final Flat meeting of the season.

Back in March Gerry claimed the champion jumps owners’ title at his local track and yesterday (15 October) he followed up by winning the 2019 Edinburgh Gin leading owners’ Flat award.

McGladery was trailing Middleham Park Racing by one in the final 2019 Flat race but his yellow and blue diamond silks came good as the Iain Jardine trained Smart Lass won comfortably in the Follow Racing TV On racingtv.com Handicap.

With McGladery and Middleham Park Racing both locked on six wins apiece it was the Morningside-based businessman who claimed the leading owners’ mantle due to his superior number of second placed horses over the season.

Ironically, McGladery would have had the title sown up on Monday when Battle of Marathon was victorious at Musselburgh’s last scheduled meeting. But the East Lothian venue had been awarded an extra fixture by the BHA due to abandonments elsewhere, so he had to return yesterday to ensure Middleham Park Racing did not nip the title on the final day.

As it happened, Middleham Park Racing took their tally to six wins yesterday when Beechwood Jude claimed the two mile Every Race Live on RacingTV Handicap, so fielding Smart Lass in the final race proved a smart move for McGladery and drew him level on six wins.

Musselburgh Racecourse General Manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “We had a cracking finale to our Flat season and it went right down to the wire with two very popular owners battling it out for our champion’s title.

“Gerry McGladery has become established as a firm favourite at Musselburgh and he is a great example of an owner who supports his local track. In his case, that extends to both jumps and Flat, and as far as I am aware he is the first owner in the UK to be crowned leading jumps and Flat owner on the same racecourse in the same year.

“This has been one our most successful Flat seasons with excellent quality fields drawing large crowds and it was wonderful to finish on a high with a thrilling and fitting ending. Our congratulations go to Gerry and all our winners over the season who collectively make Musselburgh a great place to come racing.”