The totepool Edinburgh Cup will be Scotland's second richest flat race, after the Ayr Gold Cup, and with race day prize money in excess of £200,000, will attract a high quality field of runners.

Run on Derby Day over the same distance as the famous Epsom classic and for three year old horses rated 0-105, Musselburgh believes the Edinburgh Cup will attract colts and fillies with the potential to progress to Group races.

Musselburgh's most valuable race day will also feature the £50,000 totescoop6 Scottish Sprint Cup, which is now firmly established as a key five furlong event for the top sprint handicappers.

Expressed

Other attractions on the June 5 race day include the £30,000 Edinburgh Castle Stakes, a conditions race for two year olds, which will be seen as a preliminary for horses heading to Royal Ascot.

The £20,000 Tradesman's Derby and the £15,000 Tartan Trophy will act as consolation races for the two main events, bringing the total prize pot to more than £200,000.

Musselburgh plan to build the Edinburgh Cup into a £100,000 race in successive years and Channel 4 has already expressed strong interest with the feature race and two others included on its programming schedule.

Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth, said that due to the sell-out success of Musselburgh's Derby Day fixture in previous years, which also incorporated the venue's annual Ladies Day, many racing fans were denied the opportunity to experience the track's biggest and best race day.

Moved

Mr Farnsworth said: "Ladies Day has been an outstanding success, beyond all our expectations, but the downside is that because it's a sell-out we have 2,000-3,000 regular race goers who can't attend our biggest and best race day.

"This year Ladies Day has been moved to Friday June 18 during Royal Ascot week, with a stronger focus on fashion and social racing and the launch of the Edinburgh Cup Race Day on Derby Day is a strategic move to appeal to the discerning racegoer.

"With that in mind we decided to introduce a high value meeting which would appeal to racing fans and would attract top quality horses.