Hamilton Park set for its biggest week of racing
Tuesday 12 July 2016 12:17, UK
Hamilton Park Racecourse is gearing up to give away its biggest racing purse of the year.
Over £152,000 is up for grabs for the John Smith's Fair Friday Racenight, beating the total of £140,000 from 2015.
The course's richest race night of the season includes the Scottish Stewards' Cup (Class 2) and the Glasgow Stakes (Class 1).
Steel Of Madrid, 4th at the Tercentenary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, runs in the Glasgow Stakes for the £42,000 prize fund. Leading British trainer Richard Hannon also has Ventura Storm in the field in a race won by Medrano in 2015.
Other previous winners of the Class 1 event include Postponed, who went on to win the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup at Epsom Down's Derby meeting and Hunter's Light, who went on to win Group 1 events in Italy and Dubai.
Lee Westwood may have the majority of his focus on Royal Troon for the week, but even he is sure to keep an eye on events at Hamilton Park Racecourse as his horse, Hoof It, has been entered into the Steward's Cup.
In addition to Hoof It, 2014 winner Blaine will also be competing along with last year's second and third placed horses, Tatlisu and Shared Equity.
Sulekha Varma, racing manager at Hamilton Park Racecourse said: "We're really looking forward to a fantastic evening of racing. Fifteen of the thirty-two horses entered into the John Smith's Scottish Stewards Cup also hold entries in the famous Qatar Stewards' Cup at Goodwood.
"The calibre of horse we are aiming to attract means both our regular race-goers and those coming for the first time will be in for a night of top quality racing action.
"We are finding that trainers are increasingly viewing the slot as a fantastic spring-board for the rest of the season. We would hope that some of the runners will go on to be possible contestants in future big events in the UK racing calendar."
Gates open at midday for the Racing UK Club Raceday on Thursday July 14 with the first race at 2.10pm while John Smith's Fair Friday Racenight on Friday July 15 gets underway at 4pm for the with first race at 6.05pm.
