Horse Racing: Extra meeting at Musselburgh this weekend

Musselburgh Racecourse has been granted an extra fixture this Saturday after it was forced to abandon last weekend’s £90,000 feature jumps meeting due to frost.

The East Lothian track will rerun its John Smith’s Scottish Cheltenham Trials meeting after the British Horseracing Authority approved an application to hold an extra fixture. With several meetings across the UK falling foul to this week’s freezing weather, Musselburgh will take centre stage for hard-pressed trainers and owners desperate to field potential runners for the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said: “We are delighted to get the green light from the BHA to stage this extra fixture and this decision will be welcomed across the racing industry.”

Gates open at 11.30am on Saturday, with the first race at 1.30pm. Pre-purchased tickets for last weekend’s meeting can be used this weekend or within 90 days up to May 4.