Action for the 2016 season at York Racecourse gets underway with the three day Dante Festival starting on Wednesday 11 May. With a record investment of over £1m in prize money, as well the opening of the refurbished Edwardian Weighing Room to racegoers, excitement is building for the 17 raceday season ahead on the Knavesmire.

Prize money over the three days of the Dante Festival has risen for the fifth year in succession, increasing by £45,000 this year to £1,120,000, with a Group Two on each day receiving a boost of £10,000 per race.

Wednesday’s £100,000 Tattersalls Musidora is one of eighteen races across the York season to offer a six figure sum to connections. A feature race for three year old fillies, the Musidora has proved to be a leading form indicator for the Investec Oaks with six champion fillies that have gone on to achieve Classic glory. Last year’s winner, Star of Seville, went on to land the French Oaks so becoming one of four classic winners that showcased their talents on the Knavesmire in May 2015. Typically, fillies from the Musidora return as older horses to contest the now £120,000 Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes on the Thursday of the Festival.

The Betfred Dante, the race that gives the Festival its name by honouring the last Yorkshire trained winner of the Derby back in 1945, is staged on Thursday. This Group Two contest, offering a prize fund of £160,000, was the highest rated three year old Group 2 in Britain in 2015 with the first two home, Golden Horn and Jack Hobbs, going on from York to land the English and Irish Derbys, respectively.

Last year also witnessed the inaugural running of a new Listed race – the British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes for three year old sprinters – this year it will offer enhanced prize money of £45,000 to those seeking to follow the Clive Cox trained, Profitable.

Friday’s principal race is The Betway Yorkshire Cup, now with £160,000 on offer to the leading stayers over one mile and three-quarters, a valuable and highly-rated Group Two ‘Cup’ race. Friday’s renewal is part of the Qipco British Champions Series, the first of five York contests that are part of this special series of the top races in Britain.

Over the three days, racegoers will have the chance 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.

It has been announced that HRH The Duke of York, Patron of York Racecourse, will visit Knavesmire on Wednesday 11th May. Prince Andrew, who became Patron in 2015, will present the trophy to the winner of the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes.

The opening race sees on-line bookmaker, 888sport, return to support a valuable middle-distance handicap contest over one mile and a quarter. Infinity Tyres continue to back York – this time by supporting a valuable handicap race over six furlongs. Conundrum Human Resources return to the venue where they provide professional services, to put their name to a competitive-looking handicap contest for three-year-olds, over seven furlongs. Novice two-year-olds take their opportunity in a contest under the European Breeders’ Fund banner, one of nineteen contests over the season to receive the generous backing of the EBF.

The Stratford Place Stud, owned by popular music impresario, Chris Wright CBE, once again supports a contest for maiden two-year-olds, the Stratford Place Stud Breeds Group Winners EBF Stakes.

A couple of Listed races for fillies are prominent on the final day and each has benefited from a boost in prize money to £45,000; two-year-olds take part in The Langleys Solicitors LLP EBF Marygate Stakes, while three-year-olds are catered for in The Longines Irish Champions Weekend Stakes, a contest over one mile supported by Horse Racing Ireland. The Betway Jorvik Stakes is a £50,000 handicap over one mile and a half. Three-year-old sprinters have their opportunity in The Ralph Raper Memorial Stakes, a handicap race over five furlongs. Fillies and mares face the starter in the EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Frank Whittle Partnership Fillies’ Stakes, backed by the firm who advised the racecourse team on the popular Northern End Development Project. Completing the twenty-one race programme is the 7IM supports Cystic Fibrosis Care Stakes, a handicap that promotes the link between the charity and the financial services firm; with £15,000 in prize money being a healthy reward as the minimum return of the week.

David O’Meara, who has relocated to his new base near York at Warthill, is seeking a hat-trick of leading trainer titles at York this season with competition again looking set to be fierce for the Charles Clinkard backed Top Trainer Trophy. Phillip Makin will be wanting to retain his leading rider title on the Knavesmire in the Living North Magazine Top Jockey Trophy.

New this season, York are pleased to be offering complimentary guided minibus trips to the start for racegoers; these will be taken by former professional flat jockey, John Murray, as another example of initiatives to further explain the sport and get racegoers closer to the action.
The giant screens at York will join the 100 plus LCD flat screen televisions in showing high definition (HD) pictures of the action; a benefit that is recently available to viewers of Racing UK for all twenty-one races.
The first day of the season will help raise funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund as another former rider, Charlie Ward, joins Anthony and Matthew Fison on a 550 mile bicycle ride between the charity’s two recuperation centres, Jack Berry House in Malton and Oaksey House in Lambourn. York is the first port of call for the trio who are seeking to give something back after Angela Fison received the support of the IJF following a fall.
The Totepool ‘Punters’ Panel’ will preview the action each day from the winners’ enclosure under the guidance of former Racing Journalist of the Year, Tom O’Ryan, who joins the York team this season.

Further details about the Dante Festival and the season ahead, please visit York’s website on www.yorkracecourse.co.uk