Ayr announce Saturday card

Scottish track confident of staging one-off fixture

Last updated: 6th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ayr announce Saturday card

Ayr racecourse

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Ayr have announced plans to stage a six-race card on Saturday with temperatures forecast to remain mild on the west coast of Scotland.

The track has been given the green light to host a National Hunt fixture due to the lack of jumping action this week, with Kempton's weekend card already having been switched to an all-weather meeting.

The Blue Square-sponsored day will kick off at 1.20 and boasts a total of £65,000 in prize-money.

The two feature races are the £20,000 Blue Square Handicap Chase over three miles and one furlong at 1.55 and the £20,000 Blue Square Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles at 2.25.

The track's big New Year meeting had to be called-off due to frost but the course has missed the latest freeze and is currently raceable.

Ayr's general manager William Gorol said: "This is a great shot in the arm following the loss of our two-day New Year meeting.

"There has been a lot of racing lost recently so it will be good to have an extra meeting here at Ayr.

"As a gesture to the other Scottish jumps courses, members at Perth, Kelso and Musselburgh will be allowed free entry. We are hoping for a big crowd."