Hamilton Park Racecourse are offering a 2 for 1 Admission Night on Thursday and the Fair Friday meeting the following day.

Jul 15 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON Park Racecourse is gearing up for a unique double-header which features its first ever 2 for 1 Admission Day today (Thursday) and the popular Fair Friday meeting the following day.

On the back of another successful Family Night last Saturday, the Lanarkshire venue is providing a ‘buy one get one free’ offer to all its loyal race-goers, who can double up with a friend and gain entry for two people, while only paying for one.

The generous offer applies to general admission tickets only.

Hamilton Park’s 2 for 1 Admission Day starts this afternoon (Thursday) when gates open at 12.20pm, with the first of six races two hours later.

Chief executive of Hamilton Park Vivien Kyles says it is a meeting set up to provide a value for money option for race-goers and families.

She said: “We decided to host a 2 or 1 Admission Day both as a thank you to our regular race-goers for their continued support and to try to attract a new audience to racing during the summer season.

“With basic general admission available from just £14 it equates to an entry price of just £7 for every couple taking advantage which, for a full afternoon’s entertainment in a beautiful setting with top-class facilities, is tremendous value for money.”

The hugely popular Fair Friday meeting takes place tomorrow. Friday, July 16, an event that is always a hit with racing purists and social race-goers.

The outstanding race in a strong seven-card race worth more than £60,000 overall, is the John Smith’s Scottish Stewards’ Cup handicap race at 7.45pm.

With an attractive total prize pot of £33,000 up for grabs it has attracted 38 entries prior to declarations later this week, and the feature race looks set for a capacity field, with top trainers William Haggas, Dandy Nicholls, Sir Mark Prescott, Richard Fahey, Mick Channon, Jim Goldie and Mark Johnston all represented.

Meanwhile the fancy dress competition proved popular with four-year-old Coatbridge girl Ellis Wilson winning the top prize for her ‘Baby Gaga’ outfit, while Motherwell duo Natalie Ferguson and Olivia Hawthorn (both seven), turned up as Gothic Girls, dressed as a Geisha and Princess, respectively.

All then enjoyed post-racing live music from X Factor stars Olly Murs, Stacey Solomon and Danyl Johnson.

Thursday’s full race-card is:

2.20pm - Scottish Racing Maiden Stakes;

2.50pm - hamilton-park-co.uk Claiming Stakes;

3.25pm - Bill and David McHarg Memorial Handicap;

4pm - Always Trying Open Maiden Stakes;

4.35pm - Racing UK Stakes (Handicap);

5.10pm - Hamilton Park Ladies’ Night Handicap.

The full seven-race card for Fair Friday is:

6.10pm - totepool Flexibetting Apprentice Series Handicap (Round 3);

6.45pm - John Smith’s Extra Smooth Maiden Auction Stakes;

7.15pm - John Banks Claiming Stakes;

7.45pm - John Smith’s Scottish Stewards’ Cup (Handicap);

8.20pm - John Smith’s Stayers Handicap;

8.50pm - Watch Racing UK On Sky 432 Handicap;

9.20pm - Book Now For Ladies’ Night Handicap (Qualifier for the Scottish Trophy Handicap Series Final).