Musselburgh announces free entry for September meet

There may be no no such thing as a free lunch but there is a free day of racing at Musselburgh next month.

The East Lothian course is throwing open the gates on Monday, 17 September and offering free entry in a joint initiative with the on-course bookmakers who are underwriting the venture. Musselburgh expect a bumper crowd as the race day falls on the traditional Edinburgh September Weekend holiday. Tickets are limited to two per person but must be booked online and are offered on a first come basis. Musselburgh’s commercial manager Karen Taylor, said: “This is a dual thank you to our racegoers from the bookmakers who turn up rain, hail or shine and from the racecourse itself. The September weekend is where people traditionally get away one last time before the weather changes and we reckon a large number will be happy to get away to Musselburgh for a free afternoon’s racing.”

The racecourse is also to invest £100,000 to improve the safety of horses and jockeys racing on its National Hunt track. Work is due to start on installing a 12 by 70 metre fibresand strip after the winning post bend and the Musselburgh will be the first UK course to integrate a composite material with a turf track.

Meanwhile, triple Crown aspirant Camelot enjoyed a gallop before racing at Leopardstown ahead of his date with destiny in next month’s Ladbrokes St Leger.

The three-year-old has already landed the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Investec Derby at Epsom, and next month aims to become the first horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to complete the Classic treble at Doncaster. Last seen winning the Irish Derby at the Curragh in late June, the son of Montjeu has enjoyed a mid-season break, but his Leger preparations stepped up a gear at the Foxrock venue as he worked alongside stable companions Fame And Glory and Chamonix. Camelot eased to the front a furlong out and soon went nicely clear under Joseph O’Brien.