Hamilton boosts top races with total prize-money for season exceeding £1 million

Hamilton has announced its feature races will be run at pre-pandemic levels of prize-money this year, starting with its two main events on Sunday.

Total purses for its 2021 season, which begins this weekend, will exceed £1 million, with more than £100,000 on offer on Fair Friday on July 16 when the Listed Glasgow Stakes and Scottish Stewards' Cup are run.

Sunday's card at Hamilton

Sunday's Mansionbet-sponsored Tangerine Trees Conditions Stakes and Buttonhook Handicap are worth a combined £65,000 and chief executive Vivien Currie said: "2020 was without a doubt the most challenging of my 12 years as CEO at Hamilton Park.

"That being said, over the years we have diversified and grown our business which has enabled us to ride the Covid-19 storm, allowing us to now cautiously turn our attention to what lies ahead as we look to continue our upward curve of business growth."

Vivien Currie: 'We look to continue our upward curve'Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Scottish courses received £2m in grant funding from the country’s government and Currie said: "We are most appreciative of this much needed funding which will allow us to not only safeguard the jobs of my valued team of staff, but also ensures that we are in position to continue to invest in our race programme. That ultimately filters through to essential parts of the industry including local trainers and stable staff as well as the wider economy."

Trainer Mark Johnston is a director at Hamilton and said: "The board of directors has always been committed to delivering the best race programme that we possibly can.

"By enhancing our key feature races we are aiming to attract some of the finest horses to Scotland, to ultimately ensure that our customers, whether they are owners, racegoers or members, are rewarded by a trip to Hamilton."

Read more on prize-money:

Qatar Sussex Stakes returns to £1m mark as Goodwood pledges prize-money boost

Arena raises prize-money at Doncaster Leger festival and Chepstow jumps opener

Pontefract offering total prize-money in excess of £1 million for new season

Prize-money is the big problem in British racing says Cheveley Park chief

'Ferraris against Fords' – why we need more prize-money to compete with Ireland

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