Musselburgh Lines Up £225,000 Easter Saturday Eggstravaganza

Musselburgh Racecourse’s £100,000 Queen’s Cup has a tendency to produce a long odds winners and this Saturday’s (20 April) contest may uphold that tradition.

The feature race of the East Lothian track’s £225,000 Easter Saturday Race Day, the valuable stayers handicap has in the last two years produced winners at 10/1 and 12/1.

Renfrewshire trainer Jim Goldie is represented by two time course winner Sir Chauvelin who is owned by the Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe, who also has his colours carried by Keith Dalgleish’s Mirsaale. 

Lambourn-based Archie Watson took last year’s renewal with Brandon Castle and he is set to give useful all-weather performer Ulster his turf debut under Hollie Doyle.

Mark Johnston has yet to get his hands on the trophy but that could change on Saturday as the Middleham-based Scot is four-handed with Austrian School, Making Miracles, Lucky Deal and Hochfeld.

In its new Easter berth, partly due to the demand of trainers who indicated they preferred to compete in a big sprint handicap early in the Flat season, the £50,000 Scottish Sprint Cup has attracted a strong field.

Last year’s race saw Caspian Prince smash the 5f track record when scorching home in 56.77sec and it remains to be seen if that can be bettered. Paul Midgley is triple-handed with Final Venture, Captain Colby and Line Of Reason, the winner of the race two years ago.

As a five time winner at the East Lothian track, Royal Brave is well known to Musselburgh racegoers and Rebecca Bastiman’s Yorkshire raider will be hoping to make it six. Mick Appleby, winning trainer last year and in 2014, saddles Saaheq, while Ian Williams sends a rare raider from his Midlands yard in the shape of last week’s Pontefract scorer Mokaatil.

Track conditions are described as “good” and with the forecast to remain dry and sunny it is expected Saturday will provide turf on the fast side of good, according to Musselburgh Racecourse general manager Bill Farnsworth.

He said: “With a £225,000 plus card, the £100,000 Queen’s Cup and four of our seven races going out live on ITV, we are set for a cracking Easter Saturday meeting. Ticket sales have been very healthy and a 5000 plus crowd will be the icing on the cake to provide an electric atmosphere at Musselburgh for what promises to be a sunny bank holiday weekend.”

One-the-day admission is £30 but an Early Bird ticket booked online offers a £5 discount and is available until midnight on Friday 19 April. Children aged 17 and under go free when accompanied by an adult. In partnership with Lothian Motor Coaches, a courtesy shuttle service will operate from and to Wallyford and Newcraighall rail stations.