Salisbury Racecourse has a busy month ahead in June with four tremendously entertaining fixtures at the welcoming Wiltshire venue, mixing thrilling racing and fantastic family fun.
Salisbury’s June programme begins on Tuesday, June 10, with a cracking seven-race card. The first race is due off at 2.15pm and racegoers can watch all the action on the big screen, which will be in use for every race meeting at Salisbury throughout the season.
The day’s feature contest is the £10,000 EBF Margadale Fillies’ Handicap (3.45pm) over 10 furlongs. Sir Michael Stoute’s mighty Freemason Lodge stable took the spoils last season as Gold Hush prevailed under Kerrin McEvoy.
LISTED ACTION ON FAMILY FUN DAY - SUNDAY, JUNE 15
The £30,000 Listed Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes (3.35pm) is always one of the highlights of the summer at Salisbury and this year’s renewal of the lucrative six-furlong contest takes place on Sunday, June 15, one of two designated Family Fun Days being staged during the month.
Sakhee’s Secret was undoubtedly the best horse to race at the course in 2007 when he blitzed his rivals in the Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes to draw four lengths clear of runner-up Prime Defender in a fast time. The Hughie Morrison-trained colt went on to prove himself one of the best sprinters in the world with a stunning victory next time out in the Group One Darley July Cup and ended the season as the joint top-rated sprinter in Europe.
Sakhee’s Secret was continuing a family tradition in the race as his half-sister Palace Affair landed the inaugural running in 2002.
Avonbridge in 2003 also used the Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes as a spring board to future Group One success as he won the 2005 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
The six-race card commences at 2pm with the Albert Samuel "City Bowl" Handicap over a mile and a half and concludes with the Pertemps People Development Hands And Heels Apprentice Series Handicap at 4.45pm.
Family Fun Day provides a great afternoon of fun for all the family, and, while Mum and Dad enjoy a flutter, the children, who gain free admission, can participate in an array of fun-packed entertainment including clowns, bouncy castle and face painting.
DOCCOMBE BIBURY CUP DAY - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25
Wednesday, June 25, is the popular Doccombe Bibury Cup Day and the great seven-race card will provide plenty of excitement for racegoers.
The feature event is the £12,000 Doccombe European Bibury Cup Handicap (3.15pm), which has a history of showcasing horses on the upgrade. Last year’s renewal of the mile and a half contest was won by the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Hi Calypso who prevailed under Ryan Moore by a short-head from the Luca Cumani-trained Mad Rush.
Hi Calypso went through the remainder of the season unbeaten as she won the Group Three Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood and Doncaster’s Group Two Park Hill Stakes.
The day’s most lucrative race, the ££16,500 Coors Brewers Noel Cannon Memorial Trophy Handicap (4.15pm) takes place over a mile. Ordnance Row took the spoils in 2007 prior to finishing runner-up back at the course in the Group Three totesport.com Sovereign Stakes.
Racing commences at 2.10pm with the five-furlong Peter Grigg Memorial EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes and the final contest of the day is the 5.20pm TurfTV Handicap over a mile and a quarter.
MORE FAMILY FUN AT SALISBURY - SUNDAY, JUNE 29
The second Family Fun Day of the month takes place on Sunday, June 29, when all of the usual fun-packed entertainments will be available to keep the kids amused.
On this day in 2005, Sir Percy landed the afternoon’s feature event, the £14,000 K J Pike & Sons Auction Stakes for two-year-olds. Marcus Tregoning’s charge took the six-furlong race en route to being crowned champion British-trained two-year-old.
Sir Percy gained his biggest success the following June when he won a thrilling renewal of the Derby at Epsom.
Milk It Mick also took the contest in 2003 before winning the Group One Dewhurst Stakes later in the campaign and with Salisbury’s record of unearthing future stars, only a fool would bet against seeing another potentially top-class performer taking their early steps on the Salisbury turf.
The first of the seven races on a quality card is due off at 2.20pm and the concluding contest is at 5.30pm. The action also includes the five-furlong £10,000 K J Pike & Sons Ltd Seniors’ Sprint Handicap (3.25pm) for horses aged six years and upwards.
Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course and General Manager, said: "June promises to be a fantastic month here at Salisbury with four fixtures packed full of exciting action.
"These meetings invariably showcase some tremendous horses and it is always a thrill to see young horses revealing their talent here before they go on to race in the top Group races. Maybe we will see another Sir Percy, a Sakhee’s Secret or a Hi Calypso.
"As well as the tremendous racing, we have lots of activities for the children on our two family fun days, which are always popular and provide a great day out for all the family."
Admission Prices: Day Member £18; Tattersalls Enclosure £11; Course Enclosure £6; Accompanied children under 16 are admitted free and all car parking is free. Tickets can be booked online for a 10% discount at www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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