Horse Racing in Scotland

There are many things for which our friends north of the border are well known, from their world-renowned whisky to the picturesque Highlands, and of course the ever-elusive Loch Ness Monster. However, it is not only fictional beasties and alcohol that the Scots have a lot of time for. They also love their sport.

Widely accepted as being the nation which gave golf to the world, some historical reports also suggest that our kilt wearing cousins are the forefathers of modern football. Whilst the true origins of the beautiful game may never be agreed upon, we can be sure that it is football which is the dominant force on the modern Scottish sporting scene, coming out well clear in terms of attendance and TV viewing figures. Prominent amongst the chasing pack though is another sport enjoyed on a global scale – that of horseracing.

Just as in the sports of golf and football, we have to travel a fair way back in time to find the roots of Scottish horseracing, with competitive contests said to have taken place from as long ago as the 12th century. Reports of those early events are however a little patchy and the racing itself was certainly rather sporadic. It wasn’t until the reign of King James VI in the late sixteenth and early 17th century that a more regular pattern of fixtures began to emerge. Initially a pursuit of the elite, the sport soon spread to the masses and by the 1800s annual events were being staged at a range of venues up and down the country.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and racing has maintained its position in the Scottish sporting landscape, still drawing the crowds to events both big and small. But what exactly does the Scottish racing scene look like in the modern era? Here we take a look at the nation’s biggest tracks and races, and profile a few of the star names from years gone by.

Racecourses in Scotland

The number of racetracks in Scotland hasn’t changed all that much over the years, with the current total of five being the same tally as that reported from the early 1800s. That might not seem like a particularly big number but per capita it is not too dissimilar to the stats for England and Wales. Of course, as in the rest of the British Isles, there are a number of courses which have come and gone in the intervening years, with the likes of Lanark, Leith and the attractively named Bogside amongst those to have fallen by the wayside.

Of the five remaining tracks, each does seem to be in it for the long haul, with even the youngest of the quintet now closing in on their centenary. So where exactly are these five tracks? And what can racegoers expect to find at each?

Ayr

Lying towards the West Coast, Ayr boasts a rich racing heritage, with tales of events in the area dating all the way back to 1576. A number of the track’s feature contests – some of which continue to be held to this day – then emerged in the early 1800s, but it wasn’t until 1907 that the first meetings were held at the current location.

Previously based in the town of Seafield, the switch to this larger, more accommodating site has only served to help Ayr establish itself as Scotland’s premier racecourse, both on the level and over jumps. It was not always this way though, with National Hunt racing only added to the offering in 1950, and the signature event of the Scottish Grand National being held at the track for the first time in 1966.

The Track

When looking at the layout of the track, Ayr bears a rather striking resemblance to the English course of Newbury. There is no accident to that either, as planners deliberately chose to imitate the Berkshire venue when designing the course configuration. A wide, left-handed oval of around 1m4f, Ayr features sweeping bends, long straight sections and is widely considered to be one of the fairest courses in Britain.

In addition to the main round section, the flat track also features two spurs, one leading into the back straight containing the 1m2f start, and one running directly into the home straight, enabling the staging of sprint contests over a straight 5f and 6f. Well suited to the long striding galloping type of performer, stamina becomes increasingly important on soft ground as, when the rain arrives, which it often does, Ayr can become one of the most testing tracks in the country.

Meetings & Famous Races

One of the busier venues around, Ayr stages a total of 29 meetings over the course of the season – 17 on the flat and 12 over jumps. April’s Scottish Grand National is the obvious highlight of the National Hunt calendar, whilst September’s three-day Western Meeting, featuring the Ayr Gold Cup, takes top billing on the flat.

Hamilton Park

The first of Scotland’s flat-only venues, Hamilton has staged racing events since back in 1782 – being based at its current site since 1926. Ideally located just to the South of Glasgow, and set amongst beautifully maintained grounds, it is not hard to see why racegoers have flocked to this corner of Scotland for the best part of 250 years now. A smaller track throughout its lifetime, its size hasn’t prevented the course from achieving a couple of notable firsts; becoming the first British track to hold an evening meeting in 1947, and the first to stage a morning meeting in 1971.

The Track

In terms of its appearance, there aren’t too many other courses which conform to Hamilton’s badminton racquet configuration. Consisting of a long straight section over which 5f and 6f sprint events take place, the track also features a loop which begins around halfway up the straight and turns right-handed to re-join the track close to the 6f start.

All events at trips beyond 6f take in at least some part of this tight turning section, whilst those at distances of 1m3f and further require the field to travel the “wrong way” down the straight, turn around the loop, and then come back the way they came to the winning post. Given the tight turns, and the fact that even the straight portion of the track features pronounced undulations, it is no surprise that nimble, well-balanced runners tend to go well around here. Do note however that the second half of the straight is predominantly uphill, and therefore a degree of stamina is also required.

Meetings & Famous Races

Hamilton’s season aligns itself with Britain’s traditional flat racing campaign, with its 18 fixtures all taking place between the months of May and October. As the track’s only Listed class contest, it is July’s Glasgow Stakes which is the standout race. However, those who prefer their racing to have a bit of history behind it may prefer August’s Lanark Silver Bell Handicap, which has taken reportedly place in some form since way back in 1165!

Kelso

Racing in the Scottish Borders region of Kelso has taken place since as early as 1734, initially moving between Caverton Edge and Blakelaw, before taking up permanent residence at its current Berrymoss site in 1822. Initially a flat racing venue, 1888 saw Kelso switch to National Hunt action only, and it has remained that way ever since.

The Track

The course at Kelso features an inner hurdles track and an outer chase course which, for around three quarters of their duration, run side by side. It is only in the back section where the two layouts diverge significantly – with each of the courses having their own separate back straight. Other than the hurdles track being slightly sharper, the two courses share broadly the same characteristics; both being left-handed, almost flat throughout, and featuring sharp turns and a stiff 2f run to the line.

Meetings & Famous Races

Staging around 13 meetings per year, all of which take place between the months of September and May, the racing programme at Kelso is broadly in line with the core National Hunt season. The majority of these fixtures are of only average quality, with the exception being the late February/early March meeting which features both the Grade 2 Premier Kelso Hurdle and the well-regarded Morebattle Hurdle.

Musselburgh

Lying only behind Ayr, both in terms of profile and spectator attendance, is Scotland’s second dual purpose track of Musselburgh. Formerly known as Edinburgh Racecourse, this East Coast venue lies just six miles outside Scotland’s capital city and first opened for business in 1816. A flat-only course upon its inception, National Hunt racing was a late arrival to the party in not being staged here until 1987. Given its diverse racing offering, picturesque Firth of Forth location, and easy access to Edinburgh and its many attractions, it is no surprise that this course has grown to be one of the most popular racing destinations north of the border.

The Track

Close to 1m2f in circumference and broadly oval in shape, one of the main characteristics of the track at Musselburgh is just how tight the turns are. Cambering works have been undertaken to lessen the severity of these bends, but they still place significant demands on the balance of the competitors, with the turn into the home straight being just about the tightest in all of British racing.

In addition to the main round section, the flat course also features a short spur leading into the home straight containing the starting points for events over 5f and 2m. Despite the long straight sections, this can be a difficult track at which to come from behind, with front runners going notably well in both flat and National Hunt contests.

Meetings & Famous Races

Musselburgh stages around 28 fixtures per year, almost evenly split between flat and National Hunt meetings. June’s Ladies Day invariably sees a sell-out 10,000 crowd in attendance, with February’s Edinburgh National and April’s Scottish Sprint Cup also proving particularly popular with racegoers.

Perth

Finally, we come to the most northerly of Britain’s 60 racecourses – the Highlands venue of Perth. Lying close to the River Tay and around 50 miles to the north of Edinburgh, racing has taken place in and around the town of Perth since as long ago as 1613, with the current track within the Scone Palace Parklands opening in 1908.

The second of Scotland’s National Hunt-only tracks, the rustic charm of this countryside course has proven a big hit with racegoers, with Perth being handed the title of “Best Racecourse in the North” on numerous occasions over the years.

The Track

Perth’s right-handed 1m2f circuit features a short back stretch and significantly longer home straight, giving the layout the appearance of an uneven oblong. Both hurdles and chase contests take place on the same patch of land, with the hurdles course utilising the inner portion of the track down both sides and in the back stretch, before then switching to the outside in the home straight.

Whilst the course is almost completely flat throughout, the bends at Perth are notably sharp, and overall the track is one which lends itself to nippy, well-balanced runners who like to race prominently.

Meetings & Famous Races

Perth is Scotland’s premier summer jumping venue, laying on around 14 race days per year, all of which fall between the months of April and September – outside the National Hunt season proper, but handily avoiding the bleak Scottish winter. Early season highlights include the Future Champion’s Novices Hurdle and Highland National of April, whilst June’s Perth Gold Cup is the track’s most valuable contest and regularly draws the crowds.

Biggest Scottish Races

All told, Scotland’s five tracks combine to provide a shade over 100 meetings each year, with a nice spread between flat and National Hunt. Just as in any other racing nation, the bulk of these meetings are mid to low level affairs which, whilst not drawing the star names, do serve to flesh out the season and provide targets for the lower rated runners. In addition to the more humdrum fare, a racing season does also need its highlights, and it is to those to which we now turn, as we take a look at the biggest events north of the border.

Scottish Racing’s Biggest Stars

Over the years, the tracks and races of Scotland have served to provide many moments of excitement and drama, producing an array of local heroes, both human and equine. Scottish racing’s exploits haven’t always been confined to the Highlands though, and we conclude our tour of the tartan-tinted racing scene with a look at three stars who have gone on to capture the attention of a much wider audience.