CARLISLE Racecourse hosts their annual Family Countryside Day next Sunday and it's a real celebration of Cumbrian life.

Following January's traumatic floods, the Racecourse hopes this year's event will provide a celebration for the county through a traditional race day and countryside events.

Alongside the busy racing schedule will be a programme of traditional countryside displays. The Scottish Terrier Racing Team will be demonstrating the country sport of terrier racing, which usually involves a chaotic and hilarious race to catch the lure from their handlers.

Hound trailing will be demonstrated by Border Hound Trailing Association and Hawkeye Falconry will be flying a range of their birds, including our native kestrels and peregrine falcons, and also the largest bird in the world - the European Eagle Owl.

There will be punch and judy, face-painting and other attractions for all the family.

The day's racing also promises much excitement with a race that attracts the best trainers from across the country in the Cumberland Chase.

Carlisle's single most-valuable race of the year, the chase offers prize money totalling £40,000 and exciting prospect King Harald, trained by Letcombe Bassett handler Mark Bradstock, has been pencilled in to make his reappearance in the big race.

Racecourse Managing Director, John Baker, comments "Our last Countryside Day was a great success and we are hoping to attract the same high calibre entrants this year. The team here at Carlisle obviously hope that Cumbria's jockeys and trainers have as much to celebrate this year as last."