Charity is winner as race season opens on Sunday at Hamilton

May 1 2008 By Gary Fanning

FAMILIES and charity will be on to a winner when Hamilton Park get under starters orders for their new season on Sunday.

Cancer Research UK Family Day is the first race meeting at the Bothwell Road track and is just one of 19 top class meetings over the next five months.

The first race gets underway at 2.20pm although gates will open at noon.

Clerk of the course Hazel Peplinski said the programme was getting bigger every year.

This year’s card includes an extra meeting in August, and on Wednesday, June 11 the racecourse will host the inaugural Cash For Kids Silver Bell Night.

Owners and riders will battle for Lanark’s Silver Bell, one of the world’s oldest sporting trophies and thought to have been first raced for more than 1000 years ago.

Since the end of the 2007 season Hamilton Park, has undergone a £250,000 revamp, including doubling the length of the Duke’s Bar.

The Conservatory Bistro has been changed to a grab-and-go facility, 20 new ladies toilets have been added, the Panorama Bar has been refurbished, and a new parade ring marquee will be available.

Cancer Research UK Family Day is the first of Hamilton Park’s Super Six fixtures and the first of three meetings in May with Spring Office Party Night, May 9, and Braveheart Night, May 16.

On the track the Hamilton Park board have more than doubled their contribution to prize-money this season to add £220,000 to the total prize kitty.

The course attracted 35 new trainers from the south of England last season and Ms Peplinski hopes to see this pattern continue.

She said: “The number of new trainers who came to Hamilton for the first time last season exceeded expectations but it’s very much an area of focus and we hope to build on that success this season.

“The significant contribution made by the board to prize-money is of great assistance.”

Ms Peplinski said the course had already enjoyed some good pre-season news in that the John Smiths Scottish Stewards Cup race on July 18 had been granted Heritage Handicap status.

She added: “This provides extra status for our feature race that evening as well as the advantage of a full weight range to make it more appealing to owners and trainers.”

Tickets for Sunday’s meeting and the rest of the season are available through www.hamilton-park.co.uk or by calling 01698 283806.

The full seven-race card this Sunday is as follows: 2.20pm The Cancer Research UK Maiden Auction Stakes; 2.55pm The Sunday Mail Annual Jump Jockeys Handicap Stakes; 3.30pm The Bernadette Murphy Estates Selling Stakes; 4.05pm The Cash For Kids Silver Bell Night Handicap Stakes; 4.40pm The Esporta Hamilton Median Auction Maiden Stakes; 5.15pm The Super Six Handicap Stakes, and 5.50pm The Racing on Friday Handicap Stakes.