Musselburgh splits Cheltenham trials meeting to protect prize-money and ITV coverage

Racecourse alters traditional weekend to safeguard income and exposure

Musselburgh Racecourse has announced it will split its two-day Cheltenham trials meeting in 2027, staging the cards on Sunday 31 January and Saturday 6 February instead of the customary consecutive weekend. The decision was taken to protect the £200,000 prize-money for the weekend and to secure television coverage on ITV.

The move follows a shift in the calendar for the Dublin Racing Festival, which would have reduced the amount of live content available to broadcasters on the original Sunday. Racecourse director Bill Farnsworth warned that remaining on the original dates risked losing ITV coverage and would have forced the track to reduce prize-money to below £100,000, devaluing sponsorship support for the bet365-backed fixture.

"We had a choice. We could stay where we were, but that would mean we lose ITV on the Sunday and devalue the sponsorship for the track’s longstanding supporter bet365. So we wouldn't be able to stage a decent-quality card and we'd have one good day and one normal day."

Farnsworth said the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) proposed staging the Sunday a week earlier to enable Musselburgh to continue supporting the Dublin Racing Festival with a high-value card and to preserve the prospect of shared ITV coverage. The racecourse chose to split the meeting instead, accepting some inconvenience for trainers and owners who will need to travel to Musselburgh twice in a week.

Balancing quality, sponsorship and logistics

Since its expansion to two days in 2017, the bet365-backed jumps meeting has become a flagship fixture at Musselburgh in early February. The meeting — first run with the expanded format in 2006 — acts as a trial ground for horses targeting the Cheltenham Festival, attracting high-profile trainers and travelling contingents.

Farnsworth stressed that downgrade of the card was not a preferred option. "I don't think that's a good option as we don't want to be downgrading a card if we can help it – we'd probably have to reduce prize-money from £200,000 to less than £100,000," he said. The decision to keep both days but on separate weekends preserves the purse and the racecourse's capacity to attract leading entries.

The change will have practical implications for participants. While splitting the fixtures retains the financial and broadcast benefits for Musselburgh and its sponsor, trainers, jockeys and stable staff must adapt to increased travel and logistical planning.

• New dates: Sunday 31 January and Saturday 6 February 2027
• Prize-money retained: £200,000 across the two cards
• Reason: Preserve ITV coverage and sponsorship value amid calendar clash with Dublin Racing Festival

Local importance and wider racing context

For Musselburgh, the two-day Cheltenham trials meeting is an important sporting and commercial event, drawing racegoers and visiting trainers to East Lothian at a key point in the national jumps season. ITV exposure enhances the meeting’s profile, securing the backing of major sponsors such as bet365 and supporting the local racing economy.

Long-distance travelling trainers have historically included figures whose names are well-known in national racing circles; the meeting’s standing is tied to its ability to offer competitive prize-money and broadcast slots that justify sending horses north for trials. While splitting the cards will cause some inconvenience, organisers judged the trade-off preferable to reducing the scale of the meeting.

Racegoers and participants will be watching how the split affects entry lists and attendance, but for now Musselburgh has signalled its priority: maintain the quality and value of its Cheltenham trials fixture even at the cost of an extra trip for some connections.