Catterick’s fourth consecutive Wednesday afternoon meeting (July 24) begins at 2-00 p.m. and is part of the 2013 ‘Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival’, aimed to showcase racing in the county.
The feature race of the afternoon is The Sky Bet Supporting The Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival Handicap Stakes, a contest for sprinters over the minimum distance of five furlongs, while The Infinity Ecosis Tyres Claiming Stakes is also a race for sprinters (six furlongs).
Other highlights include The Pin Point Recruitment Nursery Handicap Stakes (for two-year-olds over seven furlongs), The Yorkshire Radio Handicap Stakes (six furlongs), while Apprentice riders take part in the longest race of the afternoon – Handicap contest over one mile and a half – part of a national series for young jockeys, The Racing Excellence Apprentice Training Series.
The opening race is a contest for maiden two-year-olds, supported by The European Breeders’ Fund.
Former racehorses now under the care of ‘New Beginnings’, a Yorkshire-based community interest company, are in attendance throughout the Festival enabling racegoers to see them at close hand. Also, racegoers will be able to obtain information regarding some of the local racing syndicates and racehorse ownership from the ‘Go Racing in Yorkshire’ mobile information unit.
There’s also the chance to win a VIP day out at the final day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York next month – including a £200 bet with Sky Bet and an overnight stay at Raithwaite Hall – in a special racecard competition running throughout the Festival. Younger racegoers can enter a Mascot-naming competition for a chance to win family day tickets to a Yorkshire meeting in 2014 and a Sugar Rush sweetie hamper.
Yorkshire Radio will be broadcasting from the course, as part of their commitment to the Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival and there’s a preview of the afternoon’s racing in the winners’ enclosure some 45 minutes before racing begins, while there are Paddock commentaries prior to each race. Local band, Trio Gitan provide the musical entertainment, while there’s a variety of attractions for children in the Course enclosure, including an indoor play area As usual, the giant screen will be in use, enabling racegoers to follow all of the action.