'It should be an excellent celebration' - Hamilton marks 100-year anniversary with two-day fixture

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Hamilton will celebrate 100 years at its current home with a two-day meeting on Thursday and Friday featuring community events, two of the track's biggest races and a formal tribute to Sir Ian Good.

Although racing in Hamilton dates back to 1782, the racecourse first staged racing at its current Bothwell Road site on July 16, 1926, opening with a two-day meeting. A century later, the milestone will be marked with another two-day fixture.

Thursday's celebrations will centre on the local community, with care homes, school clubs and community groups invited to the racecourse, and visitors will be able to view a specially curated exhibition charting the track's history.

Managing director Ashley Moon said: "Thursday is the centenary of 100 years of racing here at Hamilton Park. Thursday is very much focused on the community. The key thing is a history of Hamilton Park display that we've had curated."

Friday's card features the Listed Glasgow Stakes and the Scottish Stewards' Cup, while the racecourse will also unveil and dedicate a sculpture in honour of former chairman Sir Ian Good. He joined Hamilton's board in 1990 and became chairman in 1999, remaining in the role until his death in October 2023. 

Moon said: "On Friday we have the Glasgow Stakes and the Scottish Stewards' Cup, which are two of our biggest races, but we'll also be formally unveiling and dedicating a sculpture that we've had commissioned in honour of Sir Ian Good. While it's already on display, the formal dedication will be on Friday."

Last year's Glasgow Stakes was won by the John and Thady Gosden-trained Nahraan and the stable returns this year with Superior Choice, who bids for a hat-trick after victories at Leicester and Newmarket.

Kalpana winning the Glasgow Stakes in 2024Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The Listed contest was also won by Andrew Balding's Kalpana in 2024, before she went on to land back-to-back British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes. This year, Balding relies on Prizeland, whose Racing Post Rating of 109 is the highest in the field.

Eight have been declared for the Scottish Stewards' Cup, including previous winners Commanche Falls (2021) and Jordan Electrics (2024) – that company is the sponsor of this year's race.

The racecourse is anticipating healthy crowds on both days, with Friday's meeting concluding with live music after racing.

Moon said: "Thursday is ahead year on year and we have a big Scottish band [Tide Lines] playing after racing on Friday, so we're expecting a decent crowd for both events. They're largely on track for where we expect them to be, so it should be a great way to celebrate."

Top five winners at Hamilton

By John Randall

Rockavon 1960

The only Classic winner trained in Scotland has been Rockavon, who caused a 66-1 shock in the 2,000 Guineas in 1961. Trained by George Boyd near Dunbar, the colt had run four times at Hamilton as a two-year-old and, after two defeats there, won a maiden and a nursery.

Spindrifter 1980

Iron horse Spindrifter won a record-equalling 13 races as a two-year-old in 1980 (Provideo and Timeless Times have since won 16) and two of them were at Hamilton. Sir Mark Prescott sent him up there to score in April (a maiden on his debut) and July.

Red Cadeaux 2011

Trained by Ed Dunlop, Red Cadeaux won the Listed Braveheart Handicap at Hamilton in 2011 before becoming a globetrotting star, winning the Hong Kong Vase, coming second in the Dubai World Cup and two Melbourne Cups, and accumulating nearly £5 million in prize-money.

Postponed 2014

Hamilton's biggest race is the Listed Glasgow Stakes over 11 furlongs, and it provided Postponed with easy pickings in 2014. Perhaps the best horse ever to race there, he went on to triumph in the King George at Ascot, Dubai Sheema Classic, Coronation Cup and Juddmonte International.

Subjectivist 2020

Mark Johnston, Britain's winningmost trainer of all time, was born near Hamilton racecourse, and he sent Subjectivist there for a smooth victory in the Glasgow Stakes in 2020. The colt went on to Group 1 glory in the Prix Royal-Oak and Ascot Gold Cup. 

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