Newcastle and Bath to join Good Friday action

Newcastle and Bath are to join Lingfield Park in racing on Good Friday this year.In addition to the All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield, which offers prize money of £1million, Newcastle and Bath will run cards worth £250,000 and £175,000 respectively on April 14. The highlight of the fixture at Newcastle will be the inaugural Burradon Stakes, a £100,000 conditions race for three-year-olds over the straight mile. The race is named after the village and former colliery which is only three miles from High Gosforth Park. Following the multi-million pound redevelopment of the facilities at Bath in 2016, Good Friday will see the course host its richest ever raceday to open the 2017 season. The feature race will be a £60,000 handicap for three-year-olds over a mile and three furlongs, while a mile handicap for older horses will be worth £50,000. Live coverage of racing from Lingfield and Newcastle will be broadcast by ITV Racing. Arena Racing Company racing director Stephen Higgins said: "We are delighted to deliver two fantastic days at Newcastle and Bath to complement All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park. "The sell-out crowds at Lingfield Park over the last three years have proven that Good Friday is a day that people are keen to go racing so we hope it's the same with the new fixtures at Newcastle and Bath". In addition to hosting racing at the three tracks, ARC said it will continue to support the popular Open Days at Lambourn and Middleham, the latter of which has moved to Easter Monday.