Right royal celebrations lined up at Kelso Racecourse

A bicentenary raceday is planned for next Wednesday, September 14, and among those getting the party started will be the Princess Royal.

The 72-year-old, a keen rider herself and one-time Olympic eventer, will be at the Berrymoss racecourse to meet carers at an event hosted by Scottish Borders Council and also attended by Richard Scott, the Duke of Buccleuch and lord-lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale, to thank them for their dedication to duty throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as before and since.

Ahead of the day’s first race, Princess Anne is to unveil a stone plaque within the course’s winners’ enclosure commemorating her visit, her first there since April 2011.

Records exist of horse-racing in Kelso prior to 1734, but it wasn’t until 1881 that the Sporting Magazine reported that plans were afoot for the first purpose-built racecourse in Scotland at the Berrymoss, a foundation stone for the present grandstand being laid on July 12, 1822.

The first meeting at the Berrymoss was staged in April 1823, and it consisted of a flat race for hunters, run, as was normal at that time, in several heats.

Flat racing continued on the Berrymoss until 1888, with the first jump meeting there taking place in 1883 following the expansion of the track to include three additional fields.

Gates will open for next Wednesday’s meeting, the first of 14 making up next season, at 1.30pm.

It’s an early-evening fixture and the first of seven races is scheduled for 3.40pm, with the final race lined up to be contested at 6.45pm.

The feature race of the day is the £25,000 Weatherbys Handicap Hurdle Race over two and a half miles.

“The Berrymoss became the first purpose-built racecourse in Scotland when the foundation stone for the old stand was laid in July 1822, and we are thrilled to be celebrating 200 years of racing here at Kelso during 2022 and 2023,” said course managing director Jonathan Garratt.

“We’ll be staging a number of events throughout the season to mark the bicentenary, commencing on Wednesday, September 14, when the Princess Royal will be joining us to unveil a stone plaque before racing.

“In addition, there will be some celebratory surprises to entertain our racegoers.”

Prize money across the coming season at Kelso is anticipated to be in the region of £1.5m, the £100,000 Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle next March being the most valuable event on the track’s calendar.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Advance tickets for next week’s meeting are £16 but they’ll go up to £20 on the day. Accompanied children will get in free. For details, go to www.kelso-races.co.uk​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​