Building on 46 years of popularity with racing fans and with approaching £7 million already raised for good causes, Macmillan Charity Day at York Racecourse this Saturday (June 11) promises to be an afternoon of quality racing that again helps those in most need.

Saturday’s principal race is the 888sport Charity Sprint, one of Britain’s richest sprint handicaps for three-year-olds, which offers prize money of £100,000. The roll of honour in this race over six furlongs includes top sprinters such as Cadeaux Genereux and Sheikh Albadou.

For only the fifth time, the day will end with Best Western Hotels & Macmillan Ride of Their Lives, a chance for ten supporters to participate in a nine furlong race around the famous Knavesmire. Each has pledged at least £2,500 to the charity and you can help them beat last year’s contribution of over £110,000 by visiting their donation pages on Just Giving. The riders, which include a hair salon owner and a nurse, have put their normal lives on hold to take part in this unique charity challenge; Steve Charlton from Bishop Auckland is the oldest competitor at 61 with Siobhan Carey representing both the South (Buckinghamshire) and the younger generations, being nearly three decades his junior.

The charity auction so generously supported over the years is now available to view online in advance of the raceday. This means everyone can place a bid for the many stunning lots. A once in a lifetime trip to Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle Racing Stables, a weekend break in a Best Western Hotel every month for a year, or a Roxburghe Hall golf break are all amongst the travel items. An array of fine dining experience, a Porsche experience at Silverstone or the chance to either brew your own recipe of beer or be on the set of Soccer AM during filming, are some of the more unusual opportunities. Visit the yorkracecourse.co.uk news section for more information on how to make your bid.

Since 2012, a Listed race has featured on the Saturday racing programme supported alongside the Charity Race by York-based , Best Western Hotels. The Ganton Stakes over one mile offers prize money of £40,000 and provides another reason to attend the day, just by attending, racegoers will increase the money raised for charity.

Racing on Saturday begins at 1.50pm, with the 28th running of The Queen Mother’s Cup, the richest race for lady amateur riders in Britain and a contest won by The Princess Royal in 1988. It offers an opportunity for the successful rider to toast her success in her own weight of G.H. Mumm champagne.

Gaming brand, Betstars, make their debut at York to support a valuable handicap over nine furlongs. The high standard continues on this Charity Day with The Reg Griffin Appreciation EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes – a contest for two-year-olds named in honour of the founder of this Charity Day in 1971. The Ice Co° back a competitive handicap for the fourth year that denotes their support of Macmillan, a link that was cemented when company director, Polly Marr, rode in the Macmillan Charity Race of 2013. The traditional seventh race of the card is once again, The Charles Henry Memorial Stakes.

Macmillan Charity Day is part of a two-day meeting with racing on the Friday beginning with a contest in memory of popular Yorkshire Trainer, Mel Brittain.

Amongst the nineteen contests at York to benefit from the backing of the European Breeders’ Fund is the feature of the afternoon, a fillies handicap over six furlongs, that offers £30,000 in prize money and so cements the policy of every card on the Knavesmire being worth at least £100,000.

Also a sponsor on the opening day, 888sport see their own name against a valuable handicap contest over the extended ten furlongs. The SKF Rous Selling Stakes has now been supported for a dozen years by engineering company, SKF (UK) Ltd. Then Goffs UK will bring the excitement of the Sales Ring to the Winner’s Enclosure with an auction straight after the race. The Jigsaw Sports Branding Stakes, a handicap contest over seven furlongs demonstrates the help given to the track by its sign and branding contractor. The Rush hair opens June 18th Stakes, is the longest race of the day and cleverly highlights the imminent arrival of a new salon to the city. On a card full of variety, the concluding race is a handicap contest for apprentice jockeys taking the name of long standing supporter, ripleycollection.com.

The totepool-supported ‘Punters’ Panel’ takes place prior to racing on both days from the winner’s podium as a preview to the action on each day, while giant screens will provide racegoers with an even closer view of proceedings on the track.

As part of a series of initiatives to get closer to the sport, groups of racegoers will be able to enjoy accompanied, complimentary trips to the round course starts. On Saturday, they will also have the chance to meet a retired racehorse, Harry, courtesy of equine charity, New Beginnings

The two day meeting offers a further chance for racegoers to explore the extensive refurbishment of the Edwardian Weighing Room – the final element of the three year £10m Northern End Development. The work over the winter has sought to retain and celebrate the history and heritage of the 1907 building which was home to jockeys, stewards and officials for over 100 years. In its new life as a County Stand racegoer facility, it is lighter, brighter and has more useable space. Freshly made sandwiches, picnic platters and other goodies can be washed down with a cup of tea or the track’s new range of locally brewed craft ales. True to York’s reputation, a bottle of champagne will be available from £30.

A busy weekend for sport will see racegoers able to follow action from the opening game for Wales in the Euro 2016 tournament (England kick off at 8pm on Saturday so the racecourse will have closed), as well as the Third cricket test from Lords and the first rugby union test from Australia, on selected televisions.

Musical accompaniment to the action will take the form of three different bands; Murphies Marbles performing their brand of foot stompin’ Irish fun in the Knavesmire Courtyard whilst the equally upbeat New York Brass sound off on the Edwardian Weighing Room Lawn. Proceedings will be brought to a close on Saturday by the Monotones who have a huge repertoire of popular classics.