ONE of Scotland's most historic racecourses is enjoying a major revival after ditching its "flat-caps and beer" image for Ladies' Day and champagne.

Hamilton Park Racecourse is gearing up for its most successful season with the return of the Lanark Silver Bell, which was last run in 1977, and a £100,000 fundraiser for Cash for Kids.

More than 60,000 race-goers are expected to visit "Glasgow's racecourse" from May to September this year.

Chief Executive Alastair Warwick, who joined Hamilton from Aintree four years ago, believes thousands of first-time visitors will be converted to the sport during the season.

He said: "Hamilton Park has changed dramatically over the last few years.

"It was once very much a traditional course, catering for the flat-cap, pint-of-beer punter.

"We now cater for everyone. We host high-end hospitality and have opened things up to the masses. We have introduced ladies' day and increased the corporate side of things.

"Horse racing was traditionally seen as existing purely for gambling, but it's all about the day out now.

"It's about girls, dressed up wearing hats, having £2 each-way bets and sipping champagne as they stroll on the lawn."

Racing has been staged in Hamilton since 1782, and the present course, near Strathclyde Country Park, dates from 1926.

In July 1947, it made racing history by becoming the first racecourse in the UK to stage an evening meet.

The flat-racing venue suffered cash problems and went into decline in the 60s, but was revived after being transferred to a trust in the 70s.

It will enter the history books again this summer when the Lanark Silver Bell - reputedly the world's oldest sporting trophy - comes out of storage.

The Bell, which was last competed for 31 years ago, will be used as the main event at the course's Cash for Kids benefit night in June. It is thought to have been first raced more than 1000 years ago and was gifted to Lanark by King William the Lion.

Mr Warwick said: "The Silver Bell is a piece of living history.

"We are delighted that this famous trophy will feature at the Cash for Kids night, one of the highlights of the Scottish racing calendar."

The racecourse has a core staff of 13, but up to 400 temporary workers are taken on during the season.

Six or seven races are run at each meeting.

More than £250,000 has been invested in new corporate facilities and there are plans to expand the grandstand, to include a new large-scale restaurant, to increase the course's capacity.

Last year's traditional Glasgow Fair Friday fixture attracted more than 15,000 spectators and legendary jockey Frankie Dettori has appeared at Totesport's season finale for the last two years.

Mr Warwick added: "The hospitality market has tripled in recent years.

"Racing is now viewed in a much more positive way. We now market ourselves as an alternative to a Friday or Saturday night out with a group of friends.

"Big-name jockeys are coming to Hamilton because they want to race here.

"The perception has changed radically, and everything we do is geared towards offering the best day out possible."