First Minister Alex Salmond will attend next week's William
Hill Ayr Gold Cup Saturday at Ayr Racecourse for the second year in
a row and for the third time in the last five years.
A keen horseracing fan, Mr Salmond will appear live on Channel
4's Morning Line from the track at 8 o'clock on Saturday September
17 before spending the remainder of the day taking in Scotland's
biggest flat race meeting of the year.
He will be a guest of Racecourse owners Alan Macdonald and
Richard Johnstone and watch the big race, the William Hill Ayr Gold
Cup, from a Private Box in the Princess Royal Stand.
Mr Salmond will be hoping for a Scottish winner of the Gold Cup
which hasn't been won by a home trained horse since Roman Warrior's
memorable win 36 years ago.
The best chance of that happening lies with the Jim Goldie
trained Hawkeyethenoo which is currently priced at 14/1 with
sponsors Hills.
Advance ticket sales for the three day meeting are selling well
and its expected crowds of more than 22,000 will take in the
meeting which runs from Thursday until Saturday and features Ladies
Day on Friday when one lucky lady will drive off in a Vauxhall
Corsa Limited Edition courtesy of Kerr & Smith.
Ayr Racecourse Sales and Marketing Manager Lindsey Smith said:
"Its a great boost that the First Minister's Office have indicated
that Mr Salmond will attend again this year. You can have no
greater endorsement for your race meeting than your country's
leader stating he wants to attend.
"We are happy with advance sales and as ever will hope for some
good weather to give us an added edge. We have a saying at the
Racecourse that summer in Ayr doesn't end until after the Gold Cup
is run so lets hope for some real summer weather next week."