York’s two-day Music Showcase weekend on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon (July 25 & 26), supported by Sky Bet, combines Pattern race quality action on the track and live performances on the music stage, after racing has finished.
The legendary ‘Beach Boys’ – ‘America’s Band’ – will be on stage on Friday evening, while the chart-topping ‘Wet Wet Wet’ will entertain racegoers at the conclusion of racing on Saturday.
The only evening fixture of the season at York gets underway at 6.00 pm on Friday with gates opening at 4pm. To offer a right Yorkshire welcome to the entertainers famous for their surf sounds, the crowd are being offered the chance to wear their best Hawaiian shirts for the evening, regardless of whether they are having a picnic or sipping some champagne. The conventional County Stand dress code for gentlemen of collared shirt, jacket and tie will be altered to allow all racegoers the chance to don their Hawaiian shirts. Racegoers in both County Stand and Grandstand and Paddock are also being offered a discount of £2 on the gate admission price when their wear their sunshine shirts.
The highlight of a valuable evening card is the seventh running of a Listed race for fillies and mares, the British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Stakes offering a total prize fund of £40,000 and one of eighteen contests on the Knavesmire this year supported by The European Breeders’ Fund. Last year’s race was won by Hippy Hippy Shake, ridden by the six-times champion jockey, Kieren Fallon.
Also featured on Friday evening is The Sky Bet Stakes (a handicap contest over one mile) – part of Sky Bet’s commitment to The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, as this meeting is part of the initiative that links the eight flat courses in the county over nine days of fantastic sport.
Apprentice jockeys are in the spotlight in the opening race, The DRS Television Handicap Stakes. Sprinters take part in The Tim Bresnan Testimonial Season Stakes (a handicap contest over six furlongs), which acknowledges Yorkshire and England cricketer, Tim Bresnan. Two-year-olds are catered for in The Batleys Cash & Carry Maiden Stakes whilst three-year-old sprinters blaze the trail in the final race, The Novus Stakes.
Away from the track, the Minster FM team will also be broadcasting from the course prior to racing.
Saturday’s quality seven-race programme means the prize money for the two days will exceed £300,000. The action starts at 1-50 p.m. with the entire card sponsored by Sky Bet – one of the leading horseracing, gaming and sports betting companies in the U.K.
The principal race on Saturday is the ninth running of The Sky Bet York Stakes, a £100,000 Group 2 contest, run over the extended one mile and a quarter, won last year by the outstanding Mukhadram, who has since gone on to finish runner-up in the richest race in the world, The Dubai World Cup. This month the same horse won the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. According to recent history Saturday’s victor could reappear in the richest race of York’s season, the £800,000 Juddmonte International on Wednesday 20 August.
Also featured on Saturday’s strong card is the fastest race of the two days, The Sky Bet Dash. This £50,000 sprint is over six furlongs. Last year’s winner was Tropics who developed further to finish a fine second in the Group One Darley July Cup for Hertfordshire handler, Dean Ivory.
Both days of this meeting are part of the 2014 Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, a partnership between the eight flat courses to showcase all that is best regarding racing in the county. There’s a special racecard competition each day with the overall winner receiving a VIP afternoon out back at York, on the concluding day of next month’s highlight, The Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival – Saturday, August 23 – including a £200 bet courtesy of Sky Bet.
Former racehorses now in the care of ‘New Beginnings’, a Yorkshire-based charity, are in attendance on Saturday, enabling racegoers to see them at close hand. Also, on Saturday, an interactive ‘Racing Roadshow’ will entertain and inform racegoers in finding out more about the equine and human stars of the sport. There’s even a mechanical horse to have a go on!
Several giant screens will enable racegoers to enjoy even more of the action from both the track and the stage on both days, as well as following the action from the other big Saturday race meeting at Ascot.
Away from the main stage there will be music from both Dr Jazz and Murphies Marbles. The popular totepool ‘Punter’s Panel’ takes place prior to racing helping racegoers to identify possible winners.
For the best in racing and live music York is the perfect venue.