Musselburgh


Musselburgh Racecourse sits on the eastern side of the town, close to the River Esk and only a few miles from Edinburgh, and has staged racing on its present site since 1816. Racing in the area began in 1777 under the Royal Caledonian Hunt, with meetings briefly held on the sands at Leith between 1789 and 1816 before returning permanently to Musselburgh. The course was laid out by the town council, and the Hunt marked its opening by distributing 50 guineas to the town's poor.

The racecourse was long known as Edinburgh Racecourse in the English press and only officially adopted the Musselburgh name in 1996, though Scottish racegoers had used it for decades. It struggled financially after the decline in attendances following the legalisation of betting shops in the 1960s, but East Lothian Council took over in 1991 and invested heavily, transforming it into one of the UK’s most successful small tracks.

The layout is right‑handed, sharp and relatively flat, with a round course of about a mile and a quarter and a straight five‑furlong track that joins the round course four furlongs from home. The bends are tight, favouring handy, agile horses rather than big gallopers. The jumps course, introduced in 1987, mirrors the Flat layout and includes eight fences per circuit. A nine‑hole golf course, Musselburgh Links, sits inside the track and predates the racecourse by more than a century.

Musselburgh is Scotland's second‑largest racecourse after Ayr and now stages around 25–26 fixtures a year across both codes. Its leading Flat races include the Scottish Sprint Cup, the Listed Queen of Scots Stakes, the Edinburgh Cup and the Royal Mile Handicap. Over jumps, the Scottish Cheltenham Trials meeting has grown into its flagship fixture, producing winners who often progress to major spring festivals.

Winners at Musselburgh (56)


Date Horse Race
Jockey
13Oct25
100% Racing TV Profits Back To Racing Selling Stakes
Joanna Mason
13Oct25
Melissa, Arabella And Oriana Hawthorne Handicap (Div I)
Joanna Mason
13Oct25
Melissa, Arabella And Oriana Hawthorne Handicap (Div II)
Billy Garritty
14Sep25
Dropkicks Donkey Handicap
Joanna Mason
25May21
Visit racingtv.com Handicap (Div II)
David Allan
12Oct20
Experience Entertainment At The Brunton Handicap
Harrison Shaw
06Nov19
Jeffery Associates Juvenile Maiden Hurdle
Paddy Brennan
03Aug18
Get So Much More With Racing UK Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Serena Brotherton
30Nov17
Watch Race Replays At racinguk.com Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race
Harry Bannister
11Jun16
William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup (Heritage Handicap)
Nathan Evans
05Jun16
Racing UK Day Pass Just 10 Handicap
Nathan Evans
27May16
Belmont Wallyford Handicap
Nathan Evans
27May16
Bernard Hunter Crane Hire Handicap
Nathan Evans
29Apr16
Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers Handicap
Nathan Evans
27Nov15
racinguk.com Special Price Today Novices' Limited Hcp Chase
Jake Greenall
07Aug15
Turcan Connell Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Joanna Mason
31Jul15
Nairns Oatcakes Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Joanna Mason
13Jun15
Stobo Castle Ladies Day Cup (Handicap)
Duran Fentiman
22May15
Daikin Applied UK Handicap
Nathan Evans
01Aug14
Thomson Anniversary Handicap
Barry McHugh
01Aug14
Wilkinson & Associates Nursery
Barry McHugh
02May14
Baillie Gifford Handicap
Graham Gibbons
03Aug12
Wilkinson & Associates Nursery
James Sullivan
14Sep09
Tote Placepot Handicap
Phillip Makin
23Jan08
Rectangle Group Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
09Jan08
Country Refreshments Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race
Mr T Greenall
19Jan07
Forth 2 Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
19Jan07
Peregrine Falcon Novices' Handicap Chase
Mr T Greenall
24Sep06
Children First Handicap
Paul Mulrennan
12Sep05
Scottish Saltires Cricket Team Handicap
Paul Mulrennan
12Apr05
Rectangle Group Classified Stakes
Paul Mulrennan
27Feb05
Scottish Racing Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
12Dec04
Watch Live On Racing UK Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race
Mr T Greenall
06Nov02
jwracing.com Handicap Class E (Div I)
Dale Gibson
17Jun02
George Wimpey Merchiston European Breeders Fund Median Auction Maiden Fillies' Stakes
Terry Lucas
18Jan02
Sean Graham Easter Road Novices' Hurdle
Richie McGrath
23Aug01
Links Handicap
Sam Hitchcott
25Jul01
Take A Tip From Gary Owen Handicap
Terry Lucas
18Jun01
Wimpey Homes Tempo Apprentice Handicap
Sam Hitchcott
01Dec00
Gold Rings Handicap Chase
Tony Dobbin
24Jul00
Royal Scots Cup Handicap
Paul Hanagan
13Apr00
Joe And Mary Rodrigues Watch The Racing Channel Handicap
Terry Lucas
30Mar00
Chiquita Handicap
Gyles Parkin
05Jul99
European Breeders Fund McEwans Lager Median Auction Maiden Stakes
Terry Lucas
14Jun99
Wimpey Homes Celebration Handicap
Terry Lucas
04Nov98
Musselburgh Joint Race Committee Handicap
Terry Lucas
18May98
Queens Stand For Hospitality Handicap
Terry Lucas
09Apr98
Carlyle Place Maiden Auction Stakes
Lindsay Charnock
07Jul97
Mill Hill Handicap
Terry Lucas
16Jun97
Wimpey Homes Pageant Handicap
Dale Gibson
31May97
Sheraton Grand Handicap
Gyles Parkin
25Aug94
Salamanca Selling Stakes
Lindsay Charnock
18May92
Lothian Apprentice Handicap
J Marshall
23Jan89
Wallyford Novices' Handicap Hurdle
G McCourt
02Nov88
Tennents Export Ale Maiden Auction Stakes
Mark Birch
04Jul88
Dunbar Handicap
George Duffield
13 October 2025
100% Racing TV Profits Back To Racing Selling Stakes
Joanna Mason
13 October 2025
Melissa, Arabella And Oriana Hawthorne Handicap (Div I)
Joanna Mason
13 October 2025
Melissa, Arabella And Oriana Hawthorne Handicap (Div II)
Billy Garritty
14 September 2025
Dropkicks Donkey Handicap
Joanna Mason
25 May 2021
Visit racingtv.com Handicap (Div II)
David Allan
12 October 2020
Experience Entertainment At The Brunton Handicap
Harrison Shaw
06 November 2019
Jeffery Associates Juvenile Maiden Hurdle
Paddy Brennan
03 August 2018
Get So Much More With Racing UK Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Serena Brotherton
30 November 2017
Watch Race Replays At racinguk.com Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race
Harry Bannister
11 June 2016
William Hill Scottish Sprint Cup (Heritage Handicap)
Nathan Evans
05 June 2016
Racing UK Day Pass Just 10 Handicap
Nathan Evans
27 May 2016
Belmont Wallyford Handicap
Nathan Evans
27 May 2016
Bernard Hunter Crane Hire Handicap
Nathan Evans
29 April 2016
Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers Handicap
Nathan Evans
27 November 2015
racinguk.com Special Price Today Novices' Limited Hcp Chase
Jake Greenall
07 August 2015
Turcan Connell Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Joanna Mason
31 July 2015
Nairns Oatcakes Amateur Riders' Handicap
Miss Joanna Mason
13 June 2015
Stobo Castle Ladies Day Cup (Handicap)
Duran Fentiman
22 May 2015
Daikin Applied UK Handicap
Nathan Evans
01 August 2014
Thomson Anniversary Handicap
Barry McHugh
01 August 2014
Wilkinson & Associates Nursery
Barry McHugh
02 May 2014
Baillie Gifford Handicap
Graham Gibbons
03 August 2012
Wilkinson & Associates Nursery
James Sullivan
14 September 2009
Tote Placepot Handicap
Phillip Makin
23 January 2008
Rectangle Group Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
09 January 2008
Country Refreshments Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race
Mr T Greenall
19 January 2007
Forth 2 Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
19 January 2007
Peregrine Falcon Novices' Handicap Chase
Mr T Greenall
24 September 2006
Children First Handicap
Paul Mulrennan
12 September 2005
Scottish Saltires Cricket Team Handicap
Paul Mulrennan
12 April 2005
Rectangle Group Classified Stakes
Paul Mulrennan
27 February 2005
Scottish Racing Handicap Hurdle
Mr T Greenall
12 December 2004
Watch Live On Racing UK Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race
Mr T Greenall
06 November 2002
jwracing.com Handicap Class E (Div I)
Dale Gibson
17 June 2002
George Wimpey Merchiston European Breeders Fund Median Auction Maiden Fillies' Stakes
Terry Lucas
18 January 2002
Sean Graham Easter Road Novices' Hurdle
Richie McGrath
23 August 2001
Links Handicap
Sam Hitchcott
25 July 2001
Take A Tip From Gary Owen Handicap
Terry Lucas
18 June 2001
Wimpey Homes Tempo Apprentice Handicap
Sam Hitchcott
01 December 2000
Gold Rings Handicap Chase
Tony Dobbin
24 July 2000
Royal Scots Cup Handicap
Paul Hanagan
13 April 2000
Joe And Mary Rodrigues Watch The Racing Channel Handicap
Terry Lucas
30 March 2000
Chiquita Handicap
Gyles Parkin
05 July 1999
European Breeders Fund McEwans Lager Median Auction Maiden Stakes
Terry Lucas
14 June 1999
Wimpey Homes Celebration Handicap
Terry Lucas
04 November 1998
Musselburgh Joint Race Committee Handicap
Terry Lucas
18 May 1998
Queens Stand For Hospitality Handicap
Terry Lucas
09 April 1998
Carlyle Place Maiden Auction Stakes
Lindsay Charnock
07 July 1997
Mill Hill Handicap
Terry Lucas
16 June 1997
Wimpey Homes Pageant Handicap
Dale Gibson
31 May 1997
Sheraton Grand Handicap
Gyles Parkin
25 August 1994
Salamanca Selling Stakes
Lindsay Charnock
18 May 1992
Lothian Apprentice Handicap
J Marshall
23 January 1989
Wallyford Novices' Handicap Hurdle
G McCourt
02 November 1988
Tennents Export Ale Maiden Auction Stakes
Mark Birch
04 July 1988
Dunbar Handicap
George Duffield