The yards have been on it over the winter months to get their charges racecourse ready and with it comes a sigh of relief as their hooves touch the grass, knowing that the hard work is over and now the fun begins.

And it’s 100 days until our fun really begins with the Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival, sponsored by Sky Bet.  For me, it is one of the highlights of the year as it gives us the opportunity to showcase all the wonderful aspects that the sport in our county can offer over nine days.

It all begins on Friday 18^th July, with Pontefract’s Beer Festival and Music Night, where racegoers can enjoy a Tribute To Queen after racing.  Music bookends the festival week, with Sophie-Ellis Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield headlining at York’s evening meeting on Friday 25^th July and Ronan Keating wraps everything up on the Saturday night.

As it’s the first week of the summer holidays, the ever-popular family days make a return to ensure that there is fun for everyone!  Redcar have circus themed family fun planned for Sunday 20^th July.  Catterick will have a packed Course Enclosure of activities on Wednesday 23^rd July and Thirsk take the mantle on the afternoon of Friday 25^th July.

Festival Freddie will be popping up throughout the week, he’s good for a photo and some sweets so look out for him and please go and say hi.

For those who are busy during the day, you can take in an evening meeting at Beverley on Monday 21^st July or York on Friday 25^th July, plus there are three chances to visit Doncaster with evening meetings on Saturday 19^th July, Wednesday 23^rd July and the main festival activity will take place at their afternoon meeting on Thursday 24^th July.

On the racing front, there’s a really diverse programme.  Sky Bet will be sponsoring a competitive class 4 handicap each day and there is stiff competition for the Sky Bet sponsored leading jockey of the week.  Goldsborough Hall sponsor the leading trainer of the week and there are upwards of 70 races to have a crack at.

New for this year, Redcar are holding an all apprentice card on Sunday 20^th July, giving the young stars of the sport a chance to shine on a day for themselves.  The racing culminates with the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday.

While it’s all flat action, there will be some jump jockeys demonstrating their versatility in the Jump Jockeys Nunthorpe, which opens the card at York on Saturday 26^th July.  Although many prefer the idea of taking on steeplechase fences, than being loaded into stalls, they love the opportunity to ride at breakneck speed down the Knavesmire.

Jockeys of a different kind will be racing at Thirsk on Friday 25^th July, where stable staff will be trading places with professionals to ride in the Graham Lee charity race, which will be the first race on the day.  Led up by their regular jockeys, this is a fantastic opportunity for the people who ride the horses on a daily basis to have their turn on the track.

Other activities taking place throughout the week include the jockeys’ Paddock and Chips competition, where riders will aim to score pounds by chipping a ball into a net.  There are three different sized goals, each with a different value.  There is also a charity tipster competition, which raises funds for New Beginnings, a racehorse retraining and rehoming centre based in East Yorkshire.

Links with charities remain as strong as ever and this year the charity partner will be Racing Welfare, who will be on-course each day promoting their services available to racing’s workforce and the wider community.  They will also be holding exit collections, so please give what you can.

The dates for the Summer Festival are Friday 18th July to Saturday 16th July.

Friday 19th July – Pontefract (Evening) Queen Tribute Band Flash performing after racing
Saturday 19th July – Ripon
Saturday 19th July – Doncaster (Evening) Summer Saturday Series – Cowboys & Country
Sunday 20th July – Redcar, Circus Family Fun Day
Monday 21st July – Beverley (Evening)
Wednesday 23rd July – Catterick Family Fun Day
Wednesday 23rd July – Doncaster (Evening)
Thursday 24th July – Doncaster
Friday 25th July – Thirsk Family Fun Day
Friday 25th July – York (Evening) Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield
Saturday 26th July – York Ronan Keating