The
Gunners come to Sandown Park Racecourse for a top day of racing at the Royal
Artillery Gold Cup Day on Friday 15th February 2013. The day’s proceedings will start early at
10.30am when a special parade in support of the Royal Artillery charities, will
take place in Esher High Street and the racecourse is pleased to welcome the
return of the Military Wives Choir.
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The parade steps off at the top end of
Esher High Street and will march down the main high street straight to Sandown
Park Racecourse. This year the parade
will consist of marching troops from 1st Artillery Brigade including troops
from 22 Battery, 32 Regiment Royal Artillery. The men and women of 1st Artillery
Brigade are permanently on operations in
Afghanistan.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery
will also be on parade, as will the Royal Artillery Band, and cadets from the
local Surrey Army Cadet Force. A Rapier,
a surface to air missile system which is permanently based on and used to
defend the Falkland Islands, will also be part of the parade.
This year sees the return of the much loved singing
sensation the Military Wives Choir
who will be performing live during racing and singing a selection of their
songs. The choir, which is formed of
the wives and girlfriends of British servicemen fighting in Afghanistan, was brought
together by choirmaster Gareth Malone for the BBC2 series The Choir.
At
12.30pm, a 13lb World War One gun will be fired to announce the start of the
racing and The Royal Artillery Hunt will be on parade in between the racing -
racegoers can head down to the course to mingle with the hounds and hear the
calling of the Huntsman Horn. The Royal Artillery
Band will play around the racecourse enclosures from 11.30 until 1.00pm
The
feature race – the Royal Artillery Gold Cup - is one of Sandown Park’s oldest
races having been first run in 1863 and then moved to Sandown Park for the
first time in 1878. It has been run at
the racecourse every season since 1921.
The race is restricted to horses that are owned or have been leased by
those who are serving or have served in the Royal Artillery or one of its recognised
Establishments or Units. The jockeys
must be amateurs and either part or existing members of any of the Armed Forces,
making the race unique in every sense.
With a great supporting card of competitive jump
racing, there really is something for everyone and accompanied children aged
under 18 go free. For further
information or to book in advance general admission, please visit
www.sandown.co.uk or call 01372 47 00 47.
