They’re off! The seven-horse race for Downing Street started at Lingfield Park
As Parliament was dissolved yesterday, Lingfield Park marked the official start of the General Election campaign, with a stable of seven horses and jockeys all kitted out to represent each of this year’s front-running political parties.
Staged ahead of the second All-Weather Championships Finals Day at the Surrey track on Good Friday (April 3), the septet lined up in the customised silks of each of the main political parties comprising Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Ukip, Green Party, Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru.
Harriet Collins, Head of PR at Great British Racing said: “There’s horseracing in Britain 362 days a year so we thought that as a sport we were brilliantly positioned to mark the start of the political (horse) race.
“Yesterday’s event coincided with the dissolution of Parliament and the official start of the campaigns so we’ve just captured the opening part of the race – like everyone else, we’ll just have to wait for the outcome in a few weeks’ time.”
Andrew Perkins, Executive Director at Lingfield Park said: “Lingfield Park Racecourse has its own political connections, being so close to Chartwell, the much-loved family home of Sir Winston Churchill.
“Today we captured the start of the 2015 political horse race but there is much more racing to come on Good Friday when we host the second All-Weather Championships Finals Day. With £1 million in prize money on offer, we’re sure the action on track will be just as thrilling as the Westminster political race.”
All-Weather Championships Finals Day is the richest All-Weather racecard staged in Europe, with more than £1m in prize money on offer and is the culmination of a season consisting of more than 900 races.
A variety of ticket packages are available and can be purchased by visiting www.lingfieldpark.co.uk or by calling 01342 834800.