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SKY BET SUNDAY SERIES DATE: Sunday 14th May 2023

LOCATION: Hamilton Park, Bothwell Road, Hamilton, ML3 0DW.

Racing has been staged in Hamilton since 1872, initially on land at Chatelherault (now a Country Park), before switching to Bothwell Road in 1926. Hamilton Park staged Britain’s first ever evening fixture in July 1947, and Britain’s first ever morning fixture in May 1971. The racecourse is one of five geographically located within Scotland.

The Buttonhook, as the racecourse is occasionally referred to, stages various high-profile races throughout the duration of the Flat season, namely the Braveheart Handicap, the Glasgow Stakes (previously run at York), the Lanark Silver Bell and the Scottish Stewards’ Cup. The Lanark Silver Bell is one of the oldest sporting prizes in existence, with the original trophy presented as a gift to the people of Lanark by King William ‘The Lion’ in 1165.

Hamilton Park is a right-handed, loop course (buttonhook), with a five-furlong run-in as part of the home straight. The track itself is undulating in nature, with a pronounced finishing climb, and does bear striking similarities to Goodwood.

For races run over 1m4f and beyond, the start takes place immediately in front of the public enclosures. This offers paying spectators the opportunity (as at Salisbury) to see the horses racing in both directions - initially away from the grandstand - at close quarters.

The popular Jim Goldie (pictured) saddled most winners at Hamilton in 2022 (18-113; 16%, -£13.02) with the James Mearns Long-owned Wickywickywheels responsible for five of those wins.

Kevin Ryan (8-33; 24%, +£15.84) fared best in terms of strike-rate and level-stakes profit, while the Carrutherstown handler Iain Jardine (8-69; 12%, +£12.91) and fellow Scot Keith Dalgleish (8-76; 11%, -£17.53) also enjoyed regular success at the Lanarkshire venue.

Historically, Mark Johnston has always been a force at Hamilton, and the Johnston’s were jointly responsible for seven winners (7-43; 16%, +£11.93) there last year. I’m A Gambler, an early season Sky Bet Sunday Series winner, returned to Hamilton Park to finish runner-up in the Scottish Steward’s Cup before concluding a fine season with high-profile success in the Sovereign Path (Leopardstown) and the Guisborough Stakes (Redcar).

Due to his association with Jim Goldie, Paul Mulrennan (11-63; 17%, £-19.00) finished the 2022 season as leading rider at Hamilton. In fact, the three Scottish Flat tracks – Hamilton (11), Musselburgh (12) and Ayr (22) - contributed massively to Mulrennan’s career-best total of 108.

With a most impressive 38% strike-rate (8-21; +£17.36), the efforts of Ben Curtis are worth a special mention, while Andrew Mullen (7-49; 14%, +£2.16), Jason Hart (6-39; 15%, -£9.16) and Callum Rodriguez (6-52; 12%, -£13.03) were others to notch in excess of a handful of winners.

"Hamilton is a little different to most other tracks because in the long-distance races you head back on yourself after racing around the loop. Hamilton provides a stamina test, but equally you need to have a well-balanced horse to cope with the downhill section prior to that well-known finishing climb."

“With the undulations and the bends, it takes a versatile and well-balanced horse to win at Hamilton. In the sprint races, you jump from the stalls and are immediately running downhill. You don’t want to be going too quickly – the horses can sometimes get a run on you - as you need to save enough petrol for the uphill finish. It is a good two-and-a-half furlongs up a steep hill to the finishing line.”

Jim Goldie’s Wickywickywheels (5-7; 71%, +£32.25) was the horse to follow at Hamilton in 2022, climbing steadily from a mark of 62 (in May) to 86 (in August). Furthermore, after moving to the care of Bhupar Seemar, he went onto enjoy more success in Abu Dhabi.

Shine On Brendan (3-4; 75%) and Clan Jock (3-9; 33%) were other regular course winners for Goldie. Meanwhile, Refuge (3-4; 75%) and the progressive juvenile Coco Jack (2-2; 100%) enjoyed success for Michael & David Easterby and George Scott respectively.

Hamilton attracted 194-entries for the opening Sky Bet Sunday Series fixture of the season, with a healthy percentage of those going onto confirm at the 48-hour declaration stage.

Karl Burke’s Eilean Dubh kick-started a successful campaign by taking the 1m Class 4 Handicap, before bettering that effort at York a fortnight later which left him as the early pacesetter in the race for the much sought after £100,000 Sunday Series bonus.

Candescence (Mark Walford) galloped on strongly on her return to turf to down the pacy Fine Wine in the feature 5f handicap, while I’m A Gambler (Charlie & Mark Johnston) was a gritty winner of the three-year-old sprint.

Keith Dalgleish enjoyed success in the Stayers’ Handicap with Haizoom, but was denied a double in the finale when Howzer Black was forced to play second-fiddle to Heart of Soul (Ian Williams). The remaining winners on the seven-race card were Jm Jungle (John Quinn) and Crown Princess (Ollie Pears).