October provides Yorkshire racegoers with a glimpse into the future as some of the best two-year-olds stake their claims for big race success in 2014, with important races for precocious juveniles being staged this month in the county at Redcar, York, Pontefract and Doncaster, while the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ as John Keats described, is the signal for the Jumping season at Wetherby to begin.

It’s a quality start to the month, with Redcar’s biggest day of the season taking place on Saturday, 5th. The programme at the seaside track is dominated by one of the richest races in Europe for juveniles – The totepool Two-Year-Old Trophy – a Listed race for youngsters with guaranteed prize money of £150,000. The record of Yorkshire-trained horses in this valuable contest over the sprint distance of six furlongs is a proud one, with the last three runnings won by contenders from the White Rose county. Last year, the filly Body And Soul took the honours for Great Habton (Malton) trainer, Tim Easterby – a decade after he produced Somnus to land the considerable prize. Other recent notable winners from the region are Danum Dancer, Misu Bond, Captain Rio, Dim Sums and Pipalong. The chief supporting race is The Guisborough Stakes – another Listed contest, while the programme also includes The Racing UK Straight-Mile Championship Final. There are further meetings this month at Redcar on Friday, 18th and Monday, 28th.

Another significant year at York comes to a resounding conclusion with the traditional two-day finale on the Knavesmire – Friday and Saturday, 11th & 12th. Friday is ‘Countryside Raceday’, while speed is of the essence on the final afternoon, when sprinters face the starter in The Coral Sprint Trophy (a £75,000 Handicap), while up-and-coming two-year-olds take part in the Listed Rockingham Stakes (won last year by Royal Rascal, trained by the aforementioned Tim Easterby); both feature races are contested over six furlongs.

Once again Doncaster hosts Britain’s final Group 1 race of the year, The Racing Post Trophy, on Saturday, 26th. This eagerly-awaited £200,000 contest for Europe’s leading two-year-olds should provide some important clues to the big races next year, including the Classics. Recent Derby winners, Authorized, Motivator and High Chaparral all won this race as juveniles before going on to Derby glory at Epsom the following year. Top Irish trainer, Aidan O’Brien has produced the winner of this race three times in the last four years, with Kingsbarns taking the honours last year. During the afternoon, the Final of the ‘Best-Dressed Lady’ Competition on the Yorkshire racecourses takes place, with a glittering parade of the ladies who won their respective competitions on each of the individual Yorkshire racecourses. The prizes for the overall winner include a luxury spa weekend for two at the Best Western Premier Mount Pleasant Hotel Doncaster, a £500 fashion voucher courtesy of Yasmine of Bawtry & Epworth, and a diamond pendant from lovevintagediamonds.com. This is the second leg of a two-day fixture at Doncaster, with racing on Town Moor on the Friday (25th).

Pontefract’s 2013 season comes to an end with a couple of Monday meetings – 7th and 21st. The Phil Bull Conditions Stakes for stayers is the main race on the first Monday, while the highlight of the final fixture at the West Yorkshire track is the 21st running of The totesport Silver Tankard Stakes – a Listed race for leading two-year-olds. There was a Yorkshire-trained winner of this race last year – Willie The Whipper, trained at Constable Burton near Leyburn by Ann Duffield.

The season on the Flat continues at Catterick with a trio of meetings at the North Yorkshire track – Tuesday, 8th, Saturday, 19th and Tuesday, 29th. The totepool Catterick Dash – a valuable Handicap race for sprinters – is the highlight of the Saturday fixture. Racegoers at Catterick on Saturday, 15th will also be able to see the action from the QIPCO British Champions’ Day at Ascot – the richest raceday ever staged in the UK – on the giant screen

 Wetherby’s 2013/14 season over Jumps starts on Wednesday, 16th – the annual Spinal Research Charity Day – featuring The Bobby Renton Handicap Chase – a race which commemorates a former Yorkshire trainer, who trained Freebooter to win the 1950 Grand National from his base near Ripon.