Musselburgh Racecourse facts for kids
| Location | Musselburgh, East Lothian |
|---|---|
| Date opened | 1816 |
| Screened on | Racing TV |
| Course type | Flat National Hunt |
| Notable races | William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup, Royal Mile Handicap |
Musselburgh Racecourse is a famous place in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, where exciting horse racing events happen. It's located near the River Esk. This racecourse is the second largest in Scotland, right after Ayr. It's also one of the top 15 biggest racecourses in the whole UK!
In 2016, Musselburgh planned to host 28 racing events. Horses race here in two main ways: 'flat racing' (just running fast) and 'National Hunt' (which involves jumping over obstacles). They only started jumping races in 1987. The race track is 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) long. Right in the middle of the racecourse, there's an old golf course called Musselburgh Links. People have been playing golf there since at least 1672! The Royal Musselburgh Golf Club even started there in 1774.
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Where is Musselburgh Racecourse?
The racecourse is built on land that belongs to the community of Musselburgh. You can find it on the eastern side of the town. It's not far from the A1 road and the Edinburgh City Bypass. On race days, a special bridge over the River Esk opens for people to get in. The rest of the time, the gates are kept closed.
History of Racing at Musselburgh
Horse racing in Musselburgh began a long time ago, in 1777. The first races were organized by a group called the Royal Caledonian Hunt. For a while, between 1789 and 1816, some races moved to the sands at Leith. However, in 1816, horse racing came back to Musselburgh for good. The town council even created a special new course for the races. The Royal Caledonian Hunt was so happy with the new course that they gave money to the town's poor people.
In the 1960s, things changed for racecourses. More people started betting away from the tracks, which meant fewer people came to watch the races in person. This made it tough for many racecourses, and some even closed down, like Lanark and Bogside in Scotland. By the 1980s, Musselburgh Racecourse was also struggling financially. Even though they started selling pictures of races to betting shops in 1987, they were still losing money in the early 1990s.
To save the racecourse, East Lothian Council took over running it in 1991. They managed to make it profitable again in just one year! In 1994, the Council and a group called the Lothians Racing Syndicate created a partnership. This partnership, called the Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee (MJRC), still runs the racecourse today. The Council owns the racecourse buildings and land. The MJRC pays rent to use them, which helps the local community.
From 1995 onwards, a big plan was put in place to improve the racecourse. They spent £7.5 million on many upgrades! This included building a fancy new hospitality stand called The Queen’s Stand. They also fixed up the old Edwardian Grandstand and built the Links Pavilion. New areas were added for weighing horses, a new entrance, a new parade ring, and better stables. The track itself was also improved. In 2012, they even added a special all-weather strip to the track. This helps protect the bends from getting damaged, especially in bad weather.
Visitors and Events
Musselburgh Racecourse is very popular! More than 70,000 people visit each year. This is a big increase from 1999, when only about 38,000 people visited. One of the most popular days is "Ladies' Day" in June. This event often sells out, with as many as 10,000 people attending!
Awards and Recognition
Musselburgh Racecourse has won several awards for being a great place to race. In 2011, it won the Dual Purpose Award at the Neil Wyatt Racecourse Groundstaff Awards. This was a big achievement, as they beat much larger racecourses like Ascot Racecourse! Musselburgh Racecourse has also won various awards through the RCA Showcase Awards, showing its high quality.
Important Races at Musselburgh
Musselburgh Racecourse hosts several exciting and important races throughout the year. Some of these include:
- Maggie Dickson Stakes (a Listed race), which is 7 furlongs long.
- William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup (a Class 2 Heritage Handicap), which is 5 furlongs long.
- Royal Mile (a Class 2 Handicap), which is 1 mile long.
- Edinburgh Cup (a Class 3 Handicap), which is 1 mile 4 furlongs long.
- Queen's Cup (a Class 2 Handicap), which is 1 mile 6 furlongs long.
- Edinburgh National (a Class 2 Handicap Chase), which is 4 miles long and involves jumping.
Images for kids
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Ladies Day at Musselburgh Racecourse
