MUSSELBURGH Racecourse is helping to fly the flag in advance of St Andrew’s Day at its jumps meeting today.
The Saltire Raceday, which is being staged behind closed doors, is supporting the Scottish Flag Trust and four out of the seven jumps races have been named in honour of Scotland’s national flag.
East Lothian has long been associated with the Saltire, and legend has it the small village of Athelstaneford, near Haddington, is the birthplace of the St Andrew’s Cross.
The Trust was set up in 1984 by the St Andrew’s Society and has a remit to maintain the Saltire Memorial in the village churchyard and to encourage proper use of the national flag, which is Europe’s oldest.
Today’s meeting includes the Saltire Festival Handicap Chase, the Athelstaneford – Birthplace of the Saltire Handicap Hurdle, the Legend of the Saltire Handicap Chase and the Saltire.scot Handicap Hurdle.
David Williamson, chairman of The Scottish Flag Trust, said: “We are delighted to be so well supported in Musselburgh Racecourse’s Saltire Raceday. It seems fitting that the Saltire Memorial, situated just along the coast at Athelstaneford, is celebrated as we approach St Andrew’s Day.
“The Trust has recently launched a restoration appeal to support a number of exciting onsite initiatives which will help restore this nationally important site so that we can continue to share the story of Scotland’s flag with the world.”
In tomorrow’s National, Hamish MacPherson will tell the story of the Saltire.
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