Musselburgh Racecourse ready to race after Easter Saturday disappointment

Farnsworth was speaking after the crushing disappointment of having to abandon Musselburgh’s opening Flat meeting on Easter Saturday due to incessant rain which saturated parts of the course.

He said:

“We are absolutely gutted to lose Easter Saturday but it has hardly stopped raining since October. Another 18mm on Friday and Saturday morning tipped us over the edge and we were left with little choice but to call it off.”

Friday’s Go North Jumps Raceday takes places on the sand-based jumps track which drains must faster than Musselburgh’s Flat track, explained the racecourse boss.

He said:

“While the Flat the track needs regular watering throughout the summer, we don’t water the jumps track, so that is a factor in our favour for Friday.

“It will be very soft but fortunately jump horses are bred to race on softer ground and it is certainly more suitable for Jump racing than Flat racing. I am as confident as we can be, that Friday’s meeting will be fine despite another wet week in East Lothian.”

Musselburgh’s fixture is the first of three weekend meetings - with others at Kelso and Carlisle - which constitute the finals of the Go North national hunt series and has attracted a healthy 77 declarations for the seven race card.

Gates open at 2.30pm and the first race is scheduled for 4.30pm. For more information and to book tickets visit www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk