Entries are in for the Edinburgh Cup Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse

The Edinburgh Cup Raceday, in partnership with Edinburgh Gin, offers a record-breaking £190,000 prize pot over seven fixtures and with the East Lothian track screening the Epsom Derby live, it’s the place to be on Saturday (6 June) for all horseracing fans.

In the feature contest, the £50,000 Edinburgh Cup staged over 1 mile and 1 furlong, Calllum Rodriguez has been booked by Ed Bethell for top-rated Haayimm (Official Handicap Rating  95).

The first foal out of a dam from the family of 1,000 Guineas winner Speciosa, he is an interesting prospect on his handicap debut, while newly-established North Yorkshire trainer Stephen Hanlon has Tom Eaves on board Evening Blues, who was a close fifth at Wetherby on his sole start so far this season.

Copacabana Sands is the top-rated of the 18 entries for the £60,000 Edinburgh Gin Queen Of Scots British EBF Fillies’ Stakes, a Listed contest staged over seven-furlongs, with an Official Rating of 104. Formerly trained in Ireland, she was running for the first time for the Andrew Balding stable when fifth in Group 3 company at Lingfield four weeks ago.  

The next highest rated, on 103, is Kevin Ryan-trained Magic Basma, who was only beaten a length at Haydock by Rosy Affair, a filly currently boasting several Group 1 entries.

Karl Burke and Sam James, the winning combination in 2022 with Snooze N You Lose, team up with 95-rated Ellusive Butterfly, a close fourth in a Group 3 contest at Newbury in April.

The £30,000 Edinburgh Gin Hugo Spritz Selling Stakes has been won for the past two years by horses owned by Nick Bradley Racing. Twelve months ago Alaskan Knight was bought in for £27,000 while, in 2024, Invincible Annice was involved in an even more exciting auction before being bought back by connections for £40,000. This time the well-known syndicate has two entries in the shape of Fern Clyde and Furturra, both trained by Tim Easterby.

Musselburgh Racecourse Director, Bill Farnsworth, said:

“Saturday will be a big day with approximately 6,000 racegoers on the course, and the race card promises to be compelling with the £50,000 Edinburgh Cup as the headline race. A Class 2 handicap over 1mile 1 furlong for progressive 3-year-olds, the connections of the runners will be hoping to book their place in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“Supporting the Edinburgh Cup is the Class 1 Listed (level weights) £60,000 Queen of Scots Stakes, which always attracts a high-class field of fillies and mares, hoping to showcase their ability on the track before heading to the breeding paddocks.

“The £30,000 2yo selling race is the most valuable of its kind in the UK and is on the radar of trainers - there is likely to be a lively auction after the race with the winner booking a trip to Royal Ascot.

“The 5-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds has also thrown up Royal Ascot winners and runners in recent years and with the Derby at Epsom screened live throughout the course, it completes the perfect raceday at Musselburgh.”