Yarmouth racecourse will stage an extra meeting early next month, helping to trial “matinee” racing.

Due to the high level of meetings abandoned during the wet summer, the British Horseracing Authority has added 10 autumn meetings to the fixture list.

Although Great Yarmouth has not lost any meetings to the weather, the course has been chosen to stage one of the extra meetings on Friday, October 5. But the exciting change is that the meeting will see a first race start time of noon.

“Six of the additional meetings will take place at an earlier start time than usual. These fixtures provide us with the opportunity to trial the concept of showing racing during a lunchtime slot during the autumn,” said Ruth Quinn, director of racing at the BHA.

“This is excellent news for Great Yarmouth and although we have not suffered any abandon days we are delighted to be able to assist in providing extra racing to the public and bookmakers alike.

“The date will be a trial of Friday matinee racing when the first race will have the unusual start time of noon but I am sure the earlier departure time will appeal to many, particularly those who have to travel after the racing,” said Great Yarmouth racecourse general manager, Glenn Tubby.

Since the beginning of June, 20 flat race meetings and seven jump meetings have been lost to the bad weather.

For Great Yarmouth’s extra meeting, there will be �35,000 in prize money on offer for the six races, the first at noon and the last at 2.30pm.

There is a special offer to all enclosures of �10 admission (�7 online booking) with under 16s free. Afternoon tea packages are available if booked in advance at �40 including admission, a private box and trackside viewing balcony.

Prize money for next week’s Eastern Festival (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (September 18, 19 and 20), has been increased by 30pc on last year, (�42,000), and means more than �180,000 is on offer over the three-day extravaganza.

Top owners, trainers and jockeys will head for the east coast track for a festival which is sure to attract around 15,000 spectators over the three days.

The Tuesday highlight is a �15,000 plus Class 2 handicap while on Wednesday total prize money for the day is more than �80,000, including Great Yarmouth’s most valuable race of the year the John Musker Listed Fillies Stakes, which has a prize fund of �33,000.

Ladies Day is on Thursday, when there will be prizes for the best dressed and the feature race is a class 2 long-distance handicap with a prize fund of almost �16,000.

The festival also marks the start of a new sponsorship arrangement. A new partnership has been created with Greene King which has sponsored the festival title rights and promoted an admission offer to many of its regional customers.

For ticket information contact 01493 842527 or email info@greatyarmouth-racecourse.co.uk. Contact Great Yarmouth racecourse on 01493 842527 or at www.greatyarmouth-racecourse.co.uk