SALISBURY RAISES THE CURTAIN ON A FANTASTIC 2008 PROGRAMME

Posted April 28th 2008

Salisbury Racecourse opens its doors on the 2008 season with the first of 16 fantastic racedays on Sunday, May 4, when the popular Wiltshire venue hosts an entertaining seven-race card, featuring the £20,000 Bet totepool At totesport.com Handicap (2.25pm).

The six-furlong contest, the highlight of totepool Day at Salisbury, is live on Channel Four Racing and was won last year by the smart handicapper Lipocco, trained locally at Whitsbury by Ralph Beckett.

Beckett ended the 2007 campaign at Salisbury with six winners, making him the second most successful trainer at the course that year behind Richard Hannon, who saddled eight winners. Former champion jockey Ryan Moore was the king of Salisbury with 12 victories to thrill the crowds.

Commencing at 1.55pm with the toteplacepot Maiden Stakes, the opening day's action also features the five-furlong £10,000 totequadpot Fillies' Conditions Stakes (3.05pm) for juveniles. Last season's heroine was the Richard Hannon-trained Cake, who subsequently gained distinction when finishing third in the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot.

The final race on the entertaining card is the Bathwick Tyres Lady Riders' Series Handicap (5.25pm), the first race of the campaign in the series.

Salisbury's opening fixture is traditionally the most popular of the season, falling as it does on the Bank Holiday weekend. May 4 is the first of three Sunday fixtures during 2008 - the others being June 15 and June 29. Coinciding with the 1000 Guineas, racegoers will be able to view the Classic action at Newmarket on screens around the course.

Sunday means Family Fun Day at Salisbury and the three designated fixtures offer a fun-filled day out for families, with an abundance of activities to occupy the kids while Mum and Dad enjoy the thrilling action on the track. Accompanied children aged under 16 are admitted FREE as usual and car parking is FREE.

As ever, Salisbury will have a giant ADI Screen at every meeting to give racegoers an enhanced view of the scintillating action on the course.

Salisbury is renowned as a schooling ground for future champions and many high-class performers can be seen in action at the picturesque course. The 2006 Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy famously graced the Salisbury turf on his second career start, en route to being crowned the 2005 champion British two-year-old.

Other past winners at Salisbury include the great Brigadier Gerard in 1970 and subsequent Group One winning sprinter Goodricke, who landed the 2005 renewal of the opening fixture's totesport.com Handicap. The legendary champion sprinter Lochsong was runner-up on her racecourse debut at Salisbury in 1991 and has a race staged at the course in her honour.

Last season brought the usual array of classy performers to Salisbury. Godolphin's 2000 Guineas hope Fast Company won division two of the Bathwick Tyres/EBF Maiden Stakes in July, while fellow Godophin Classic aspirant McCartney was also victorious at the course. Maiden winner Max One Two Three is in line for a tilt at the 1000 Guineas.

Several Salisbury winners went on to big-race glory, including subsequent Group Two heroines Hi Calypso and Miss Lucifer, while Promising Lead acquitted herself admirably in Group One company after taking the Listed Upavon Fillies' Stakes.

The famous Royal colours were seen in the winner's enclosure last season with Fretwork and Hunting Tower both successful for Her Majesty The Queen.

Chief among the stars who raced at Salisbury in 2007 is the blisteringly fast Sakhee's Secret, who blitzed a top-notch field of sprinters to win the Listed Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes in June. The Hughie Morrison-trained star brushed aside some of the world's best speedsters to win the Group One Darley July Cup on his next start at Newmarket in July.

HIGH SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

This year's renewal of the six-furlong Listed Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes takes place on Sunday, June 15, the second Salisbury Family Fun Day of the season.

Wednesday, June 25, is Doccombe European Bibury Cup Day. Last year's running of the Bibury Cup was a thrilling affair with the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Hi Calypso rallying from last to first to clinch the verdict on the line by a short-head from the Luca Cumani-trained Mad Rush.

Hi Calypso went on to clinch the Group Three Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on her next outing and proved herself a high-class performer when adding the Group Two Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September.

FEATURE NIGHTS

July brings a feast of entertainment with the racecourse staging three of its four evening fixtures, as well as playing host to two of the country's finest tribute bands.

Killer Queen will rock the crowds after racing on Friday, July 4, at a fabulous event sponsored by Castlepoint Shopping Park. The premier Queen impersonators were named the "World-wide Best Tribute Band" in 1999.

The rockers make way for the fashionistas as style takes centre stage on Ladies Evening, Saturday, July 12, when the first race will be off at 6.25pm.

Counterfeit Quo ensure another great night on Saturday, July 26, with the Status Quo tribute act rocking all over the racecourse.

SALISBURY SUMMER SPLENDOUR

Salisbury Summer Splendour is a fantastic two-day Summer Festival on Wednesday, August 13 and Thursday, August 14, offering great racing and the usual superb hospitality.

Wednesday's exciting card features the Listed Upavon Fillies' Stakes over 10 furlongs which last year went to the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Promising Lead ridden by Ryan Moore. The filly enhanced the form of that race considerably next time out at Longchamp in October when finishing second to Satwa Queen in the Group One Prix de l'Opera.

The Group Three totesport.com Sovereign Stakes is Salisbury's biggest race of the season and always attracts a high-class field. Pride Of Nation took the 2007 renewal to follow the likes of Belenus (2006), Layman (2005) and Norse Dancer (2004).

Following on from Salisbury Summer Splendour is another high-quality event, the last of four evening fixtures, on Friday, August 29, which features the Listed Weatherbys Bank Stonehenge Stakes for two-year-olds. Last year's victor was McCartney, who went on to land the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and is currently on course for a tilt at the 2000 Guineas for Godolphin.

EBF FILLIES' DAY

Salisbury's most lucrative day's racing takes place on Thursday, September 4, and features the EBF Lochsong Fillies' Stakes. The 2007 renewal was of the highest order, with the winner Perfect Star adding an Ascot Listed race next time and runner-up Miss Lucifer improving to capture the prestigious Group Two Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.

The Season Finale takes place on Wednesday, October 1, 2008, bringing down the curtain on what will undoubtedly be another memorable season of fine racing in Wiltshire.

Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course and General Manager, said: "We are looking forward to another good year, which hopefully will see some fantastic performances from horses who go on to show their merit at the highest level, as we do each season.

"We were privileged to see Sakhee's Secret show his phenomenal speed here last year in winning the Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes and he went on prove himself one of the best sprinters in the world.

"It was great to watch the fillies Promising Lead, Hi Calypso and Miss Lucifer go on to make an impact in Group company and we saw some really high-class two-year-olds in Fast Company and McCartney, who could both contest the Classics.

"We have some tremendous entertainment lined up with Killer Queen and Counterfeit Quo, as well as Ladies Night and the ever-popular Family Fun Days, so there is plenty to look forward to in 2008."

Admission Prices: Day Member £18; Tattersalls Enclosure £11; Course Enclosure £6; Accompanied children under 16 are admitted free and all car parking is free.

For further information, please contact Jeremy Martin at Salisbury Racecourse on 01722 326461 or go to www.salisburyracecourse.co.uk

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