News & Reviews

 

HAMILTON PARK WINS RIGHT TO STAGE
LANARK SILVER BELL

- County retains 1000-year-old race -

 

One of the world’s oldest sporting trophies, the Lanark Silver Bell, will be staged at Hamilton Park Racecourse’s Cash For Kids Night in June after the Lanarkshire track won a local vote over rivals Ayr.

After assessing options open for reviving the Silver Bell, Lanark Community Council decided to canvass local opinion on whether the race should be staged at Hamilton Park, Ayr or both on alternate years. The result was a unanimous victory for Hamilton Park to have sole rights to stage the race – coming just two months after a similar poll on a local news website provided exactly the same outcome.  

The result means Hamilton Park will establish the Lanark Silver Bell as the feature race within its prestigious Cash For Kids Night on June 11. Cash For Kids will donate a percentage of proceeds raised on the night to charities based within the Lanark and Hamilton area.

Commenting on the announcement, Hamilton Park Racecourse chief executive, Alastair Warwick, said:  “This is a great victory for Hamilton Park, the people of Lanarkshire, and for commonsense in general.  The prospect of such an historic piece of local sporting silverware leaving the county and going to Ayr was a non-starter and we’re delighted the people of Lanark have voted in favour of Hamilton Park.

“This famous trophy will now be the feature race at our high profile Cash for Kids Night in what promises to be one of the highlights of the Scottish racing calendar.”

In September of last year Hamilton Park announced that Cash for Kids would replace Saints & Sinners as the benefiting charity at its showcase fixture in 2008.

Paul Cooney, Cash for Kids Trustee and Regional Managing Director Scotland Central and South Bauer Radio, said: “We are proud that Radio Clyde’s Cash for Kids has played its part in bringing such a prestigious race to Hamilton Park Racecourse. 

“Needy children in Lanarkshire and the West will benefit massively from this special night.”

The Lanark Silver Bell is thought to have been first raced for over 1,000 years ago. It was gifted to the town by King William the Lion.