All nine of the county’s racecourses are in action this month, involving a plethora of weekend, midweek and evening fixtures. It’s full steam ahead both locally and nationally, with important meetings set to define the year as a whole. Newmarket hosts the opening two Classics of 2015 – The QIPCO 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas – during the first weekend of the month, while the biggest meeting in the county is York’s opening fixture of the year, the three-day Dante Festival on Wednesday (13th), Thursday (14th) and Friday (15th). This prestigious meeting on the famous Knavesmire is certain to attract the main contenders for the leading races this year, in particular next month’s Classics – the Derby and the Oaks at Epsom – as well as providing some useful clues regarding Royal Ascot. Record prize money of almost £6.5 million is on offer during York’s 17-day campaign. 

The next phase of the on-going Northern End development project of York racecourse will come into use at this meeting, including the new Weighing Room, Parade Ring Restaurant and Owners Entrance building.

 The opening day of the Dante Festival sees this season’s top staying fillies take part in The Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, as they advertise their Classic credentials. Speed is the name of the game in The Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes for sprinters, while Britain’s richest and best-known Derby trial, the Betfred Dante Stakes, is featured on the second day. Last year’s winner of this race was out of the top drawer – The Grey Gatsby – trained at Hambleton near Thirsk by Kevin Ryan. He went on to win the French Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes, while also claiming second place in the Juddmonte International Stakes back at York in August – officially rated the best race in the world last year by The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Very much a local hero, The Grey Gatsby took the accolade of the ‘Yorkshire Horse of the Year’ 2014.

 Thursday’s programme also features a contest for leading older fillies in the Betfred Middleton Stakes, while top stayers have their opportunity in Friday’s Sky Bet Yorkshire Cup –a race won last year by Gospel Choir, ridden by Ryan Moore who partnered the aforementioned The Grey Gatsby to success 

Racing returns to York on Saturday, 30th, an afternoon card which features The Stowe Family Law LLP Grand Cup – a Listed race for stayers. – which last year produced a thrilling dead-heat between Clever Cookie (trained near Malton by Peter Niven) and the Irish-trained Ralston Road.

 The month begins with a Saturday double-header on the 2nd, with meetings at Thirsk in the afternoon and Doncaster in the evening. The totepool Thirsk Hunt Cup is featured at the North Yorkshire track – the first of three consecutive Saturday fixtures at the course. An evening card on the 9th is the annual ABF – The Soldiers’ Charity Night is followed by ‘Irish Day’ on the 16th. The doors are also open at Thirsk on Wednesday, 27th. In addition, Saturday, 16th sees another Saturday evening programme down the A1 at Doncaster – ‘Visit Bawtry’ Evening – featuring live music after racing. There’s action at the South Yorkshire track between these meetings on Monday, 11th.

 There’s May Day Bank Holiday racing at the only racecourse in East Yorkshire, Beverley on Monday, 4th with family entertainment the theme of the day. There are further meetings on the Westwood the following Tuesday (12th) and Saturday, 23rd – a ‘Very British Raceday’ featuring The Brian Yeardley Continental Two-Year-Old Trophy) and The Hilary Needler Trophy – a Conditions race for up-and-coming juvenile fillies first held at Beverley 50 years ago.

 Popular evening meetings at Catterick take place on Tuesday (4th) and Friday (29th), along with a Saturday afternoon fixture on the 23rd – totepool Day. 

There’s Friday evening racing at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ Ripon on the 8th, followed by the course’s annual ‘Family Day Sunday’ programme on the 17th featuring a variety of family attractions and raising funds for the Wooden Spoon Society. 

Yorkshire’s seaside course, Redcar, in action on Monday, 18th followed by the well-supported two-day fixture on Bank Holiday Monday (25th) and Tuesday 26th. The Zetland Gold Cup is the highlight on the first day. 

The only meeting this month at Pontefract is an evening fixture on Friday, 22nd – ‘80’s Night’ at the West Yorkshire track. 

Jump racing fans are catered for as Wetherby’s campaign continues with a couple of consecutive Thursday meetings during May. The first is an afternoon fixture on the 21st, followed by the ‘Yorkshire Post Ladies Evening’(28th) – which launches the official ‘Ladies Days’ on the Yorkshire racecourses this summer. The lady who wins the ‘Best-Dressed’ award at Wetherby will be invited to take part in the Grand Final at Doncaster in October to find Yorkshire’s ‘Best Dressed Lady Racegoer’. During the afternoon at Wetherby, racegoers can enjoy the fashion shows on the catwalk between races in the ‘Life & Style’ marquee. 

• The ever-popular ska band, ‘Madness’ are live on stage after racing at Doncaster on Saturday evening, June 27th, while the great Sir Tom Jones performs live after racing at York on Friday evening, July 24th