The Edinburgh Reporter February 2022

23
A new era at Drumtassie
Nigel Duncan reports anglers
can now enjoy coarse ponds
Nigel Duncan
DRUMTASSIE IS ABOUT to enter a new era with
a mouth-watering prospect for coarse anglers as
the long-awaited coarse ponds are scheduled to
open next month.
Bosses are set to release the pricing structure soon
and the coarse lakes are around half a mile from the
current three-pond trout facility.
A large number of anglers, including specimen carp
hunters, are likely to fill the car park judging by calls
seeking information.
Bosses plan to make Drumtassie “Scotland’s finest
coarse fishing location”.
Meanwhile, the trout ponds, used by anglers from
all over Central Scotland, continue to produce.
Recent catches have included one of 22lb, another
of 17lb and a good number of double-figure fish.
Weekly stocking is a feature.
Buzzers, cat’s whisker patterns, yellow dancer, diawl
bach, FAB flies, mini-lures, particularly black and green,
and chamois patterns have regularly delivered over the
winter and, if there is a wee ripple on the top of the
water, a sedge hog can be deadly according to Leeanne.
Ambitions to be Scotland’s
finest coarse fishing location
Drumtassie fish are reared on quality pellets and the
lakes are fed by a nearby stream, continuing to
oxygenate the water which caters for anglers of many
degrees of competency. Beginners, for example, don’t
have to cast far to locate fish.
Car parking is a few steps from the Kingfisher and
Mallard ponds and the access is flat making this ideal
for those with a wheelchair.
Indeed, wheelchair-bound Kenneth Harper fishes the
water several times a week and he was all smiles
recently with a 10.5lb trout safely landed after being
tempted by a Millennium Bug.
Alan Rennie
Boost for jumps meeting
Musselburgh’s Scottish Festival Trials under starter’s orders
MUSSELBURGH Racecourse’s
premier jumps meeting of the
season got a welcome boost with
the Scottish Government’s
announcement that Covid-19
hospitality rules are to be relaxed.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said
that in light of an improvement in
Covid-19 statistics, licensed
premises and hospitality venues
would no longer be restricted to
table service and one metre
distancing rules.
It means the East Lothian course’s
big-money bet365 Scottish Festival
Trials weekend (5 and 6 February)
can go ahead as normal, with guests
able to enjoy Musselburgh’s full
range of bar, restaurant and
hospitality services.
Musselburgh Racecourse general
manager, Bill Farnsworth, said the
development would be welcomed
by all five Scottish racecourses
which have been operating within
constraints which has severely
impacted on visitor experience
and income revenues.
Mr Farnsworth said: “This is
excellent news, not just for
Musselburgh but for the Scottish
racing industry as a whole. We fully
understood the need for caution at
large sporting events, but now the
situation has changed significantly,
we welcome the chance to offer the
full racing and entertainment
packages on which our race
meetings depend, and which allows
us to deliver to visitors the best
experience we can.
“The bet365 Scottish Festival
Trials weekend is one of the most
important fixtures on the Scottish
jumps racing calendar and attracts
high quality entries from the UK and
Ireland, with many horses being
trialled for a potential tilt at the
Cheltenham and Aintree festivals.
“The pedigree of the horses
racing up Musselburgh’s final
straight is all important, but equally
vital is a large and enthusiastic
crowd who contribute to the electric
atmosphere at big meetings.
“Now that we have the green
light to open up all our facilities and
to provide our well-established
five-star experience, we can look
forward to a fantastic weekend of
premier racing, which I hope sets
the tone for the rest of the jumps
season and into our Flat meetings in
the summer.”
With more than £260,000 in prize
money over the weekend festival,
the Saturday meeting includes the
£40,000 feature race the bet365
Edinburgh National, while the
Sunday meeting boasts three
£25,000 races, including the bet365
Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial.
Advance Adult Tickets are
discounted by £5 (normal admission
£30) until midnight on 4 February
and race goers are advised to book
in advance.
For more information and to book
tickets visit: www.musselburghracecourse.co.uk
15% discount on all shipping and packing materials when quoting code PS101