'The racing is competitive and compelling' - northern tracks primed for Ladbrokes Go North finals weekend

Big crowds and "a bit of a buzz" are expected for this weekend's Ladbrokes Go North finals, which is supported by the Racing Post.

A total of ten £30,000 finals will be staged at Musselburgh, Kelso and then Carlisle, the culmination of a season-long series of qualifiers aimed at boosting the appeal and profile of jump racing in the north.

ITV will present Saturday's programme from Kelso, whose managing director Jonathan Garratt said: "We're hoping for a big crowd. It's one of our best-attended Saturdays and advance ticket sales have been strong. We're looking forward to it, it should be a very good day.

"The racing is competitive and compelling. The structure of the series gives owners the incentive to run a bit more often on northern racecourses to qualify for a final which becomes a target.

"For many of these horses, an appearance at Cheltenham or Aintree is not on the cards and it gives them something really meaningful to aim at. The races provide a real puzzle for punters, and regular racegoers will be familiar with a lot of the horses."

Kelso's card was abandoned due to waterlogging last year, when bad weather also hit the meeting at Musselburgh, which was run in the evening due to a change in the fixture list.

"Last year we raced in the most atrocious conditions I've ever seen here, it rained all day and it was unbelievable," recalled Musselburgh manager Bill Farnsworth.

"So we didn't get a great crowd and we're hoping for a decent turnout this time if we get nice weather. It's certainly not just another Friday afternoon, there's definitely a bit of a buzz about the place.

"It should be a good end to the season for Musselburgh, with some nice prizes for horses we've seen through the campaign."

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