Start 2019 with a New Year’s resolution you can definitely keep and try something new as Sandown Park offers a host of quality racing from Saturday 5th January.
The first Saturday of 2019 sees Jump racing kick off the new year with seven races from 12.15pm to 3.35pm on Unibet Tolworth Hurdle Day. The day includes the two mile Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle, last year’s winner Summerville Boy trained by Tom George went onto win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, also the listed Unibet Mares' Hurdle and the Unibet Veterans' Handicap Steeple Chase.
2nd February will see 888sport Contenders Day, a day filled with seven races of high-quality jump racing. The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase grade 1 race is open to horses five years and older and has seen 2016’s winner Bristol De Mai go onto big things including winning two Betfair Chases at Haydock. Last year’s winner Terrefort trained by Nicky Henderson has also gone on to Grade 1 wins. This day can give come handy pointers for Cheltenham Festival contenders!
Sandown Park is also the only racecourse in the country which stages two Military race days – The Royal Artillery Gold Cup Day on 15th February and Grand Military Gold Cup Day on 8th March.
The Royal Artillery Gold Cup was first run in 1862 with Sandown Park first hosting the meeting in 1878, three years after the racecourse opened. With seven races, the feature race, the Royal Artillery Gold Cup is open to horses that are owned or have been leased by participants serving or who have served in the Royal Artillery or one of its recognised Establishments or Units. The jockeys must be amateurs and either past or existing members of any of the Armed Forces, making the race unique in every sense.
The day will be immersed in Royal Artillery history and entertainment with the Royal Artillery parade, the 1pm gun salute and the Band of the Honourable Artillery Company performing. Outriders will escort the racehorses and jockeys for the Royal Artillery Gold Cup race onto the track.
Grand Military Gold Cup Day on 8th March is also a wonderful afternoon of racing steeped in military heritage. The day’s feature race, the Grand Military Gold Cup is open to horses aged five years or older and is run over a distance of 3 miles and ½ furlong. The jockeys are all serving or retired Military Amateur Riders with ownership of the horses limited to serving or ex-serving members of the armed forces. The race was first run in 1841 with the first running at Sandown Park in 1881. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was Patron of the Grand Military Gold Cup until her death. She also won the race as an owner on five occasions including three with Special Cargo whose life-size statue overlooks the Winner’s Enclosure. Her Majesty The Queen became Patron of the Grand Military Gold Cup after the Queen Mother’s death.
Tickets for all Sandown Park fixtures can be purchased from here or by giving us a call. Under 18s tickets to all fixtures are free when purchased with an adult ticket. Adult tickets are available from £16.
