By Royal Appointment

One the biggest social events of the Easter weekend, the Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Raceday blends entertainment for all with high-quality racing including two thrilling races taking place:  The Scottish Sprint Cup - Scotland's fastest race – and the Queen's Cup. A £100,000 staying heritage handicap race it attracts top-tier horses and jockeys from across the UK and beyond. But it’s the race's association with royalty that adds an extra layer of distinction, celebrating the racecourse's longstanding ties to the monarchy.

A very rare race named after the late Her Majesty The Queen, the honour was bestowed upon the racecourse in 2016 when she visited Musselburgh to mark its Bi-Centenary. A well-known race enthusiast throughout her life, Her Majesty was officially there to unveil a commemorative sculpture – a rendering of the racecourse logo that is fittingly two horses inset of a crown. Unofficially, she was there to keep an eye on the two horses she had racing. 

Watching the racing from The Queen’s Stand – the eponymous red brick stand she opened in 1995 – she didn’t come away with a win that day. She did, however, leave with something arguably more special after agreeing to Racecourse Director Bill Farnsworth’s request to name a race after her.

Musselburgh’s royal ties go much further back that Queen Elizabeth II. Initially known as Edinburgh Racecourse, it was established in the 18th century by the Royal Caledonian Hunt, a society associated with the Scottish nobility that organised horse racing events.

Dubbed the ‘Sport of Kings’, horseracing was once the preserve of aristocracy, but gained mass popularity after World War One, with King George VI visiting Musselburgh Racecourse in 1937, shining the spotlight on Musselburgh once again.

Today Musselburgh has grown in popularity, holding 25 fixtures annually, including The Queen of Scots Fillies Stakes, another regal race showcasing top-tier fillies, and so named to honour one of Scotland’s most iconic monarchs.

It’s not the only royal sporting event to be held at the racecourse either. The Royal Company of Archers – the King’s Body Guard in Scotland – compete for The Musselburgh Silver Arrow every year. Said to be the oldest sporting trophy in the world, each archer has two arrows to fire into the target over 180 yards away.

A fitting tribute to The Queen’s love of the sport, Musselburgh Racecourse also embraces its role as a hub for community celebrations with a regal flair. The Platinum Jubilee Weekend in 2022, which honoured Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year reign, saw the start of  the "Corgi Derby," a nod to The Queen's beloved pets. In a four-legged race like no other, this year a highlight of the Easter Saturday racing schedule will see up to 17 of the UK’s quickest corgis compete against each other.

This will be followed by a spinoff of The Queen’s Cup - The Mini Queen’s Cup. Held on Easter Saturday in partnership with a local nursery,  this fun race sees preschool children to zoom around the track on happy hoppers.

These events not only mark the racecourse’s royal connections but also are a key part in offering the type of first-class entertainment that the racecourse is known for.

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