Preview of Family Race Day at Perth Races

Jul 9 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Preview of Family Race Day at Perth Races

ONE of the most popular fixtures on the Perth Racecourse calendar is Family Race Day this Sunday afternoon, when National Hunt racing becomes stablemates with World Cup football.

With football fever taking over the world as Spain and the Netherlands prepare to do battle in the World Cup final, Perth Racecourse is joining in by offering a distinct football flavour to its entertaining Family Race Day.

Alongside a seven-race card of two steeplechases, four hurdle races and one National Hunt flat race, the scenic venue at Scone Palace park hosts family fun activities and a festival of football, with a large screen to enjoy the World Cup final.

Despite being more than 6000 miles from the big match action, racegoers can soak up the World Cup party atmosphere. They can emulate stars such as Villa and Robben by taking part in skill tests to measure how hard they can hit a ball, and teams will be taking up the challenge on a human football table.

Aside from racing and football, there are children’s activities.

On the track itself, fields are likely to be quite small for the total prize fund of £38,500.

Entries posted yesterday showed a number of runners from north of the border including some from reigning Scottish Champion Lucinda Russell, with Nigel Twiston-Davies heading the charge of southern raiders, and Ireland’s Gordon Elliott hoping to emulate his outstanding success at the recent Perth Showcase meeting.

Perth Racecourse general manager Sam Morshead said: “We are delighted with the exciting programme of events taking place at our Family Race Day.”

Gates for the Family Fun Day, sponsored by The Tote, open at 11.30am, with the first race at 2.10pm.