THE New Year's Day meeting at Musselburgh Races has attracted top-quality entries from across the UK.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, Dan Skelton, Venetia Williams and Charlie Longsdon – who two weeks ago had a Musselburgh winner with The Queen’s Forth Bridge – are all represented.

In the £30,000 totepool.com Auld Reekie Handicap Classic, (1.40pm) jockey Liam Treadwell will be looking for better odds than when he rode 100-1 Mon Mome to victory in the 2009 Grand National.

In the feature race, the £40,000 totepool Hogmaneigh Handicap Hurdle (2.50) trainer James Ewart is looking to do the double with last year’s winner Aristo Du Plessis.

Witrh ticket sales up on last year, racecourse officials are hoping to see a capacity 6,000 crowd on Sunday. 

Bill Farnsworth, Musselburgh Racecourse chief executive, said: "We have some great entries from many of the leading trainers and our New Year’s Day fixture is growing in popularity each year.

“With the dual attraction of first class jumps racing and the historic Racing UK New Year Sprint athletics race, sports fans will struggle to find a better way of bringing in the New Year.”

Gates open at 11am and the first race is off at 12.30pm.