Musselburgh Racecourse is continuing to invest in racing in the north with an impressive £667,000 in prize money over its next three race meetings.

First up on Friday (20 March) is the Go North raceday, supported by the Racing Post, which carries £160,000 prize money over six races, including three £40,000 finals for jumps horses which have supported northern tracks over the jumps season.

Easter Saturday (4 April) marks the start of the Scottish Flat season with Musselburgh’s flagship Virgin Bet Scottish Sprint Cup Raceday, and the introduction of a new Class 1 race - the £80,000 Listed Goliath Cup over one mile six furlongs - which further strengthens the card.

The supporting Easter Saturday card includes well established and valuable handicaps, notably the £70,000 five furlong Scottish Sprint Cup, the £50,000 one mile six furlong Queen’s Cup, and the £50,000 seven furlong Silver Arrow, contributing to a strong and competitive £307,000 programme across the day.

The third compelling fixture is the Sky Bet Sunday Series Raceday (Sunday 12 April) with more than £200,000 in prize money on offer over seven races, providing valuable opportunities for the connections of Class 4 and 5 horses, which underpin the northern Flat racing programme.

Musselburgh Racecourse director, Bill Farnsworth, said:

“This year we have increased prize money across 26 fixtures by £200,000 to £2.64 million, in recognition that prizemoney is the lifeblood of the sport.

“The strategic investment into prize money in recent years at the top end of the sport improves the cream at the top, which we all enjoy, but the cream only exists if there is good quality milk to support it.

“We are pleased that across these three racedays, Musselburgh with the backing of Chester Race Company, can support the participants who are the bedrock of the sport and the Go North raceday provides a fitting conclusion to Musselburgh’s  jumps season.

“Easter Saturday is our most valuable Flat fixture and is strong on quality handicaps, whilst we are also supporting the staying race programme with the introduction of the new Listed Goliath Cup, and the Sky Bet Sunday Series, which is for the owners and trainers of those horses which underpin the flat race programme in the UK.

“More than £660,000 prize money spread over three fixtures provides 20 valuable opportunities for owners and we hope this will encourage them to invest in our brilliant sport in the future.”