Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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Building on 45 years of popularity with racing fans and with over £6 million already raised for good causes, Macmillan Charity Day at York Racecourse this Saturday (June 13) promises to be an afternoon of quality racing that again helps those in most need. 

Saturday’s principal race is The 888sport Charity Sprint, one of Britain’s richest sprint handicaps for three-year-olds, which offers prize money of £100,000. The roll of honour in this race over six furlongs includes top sprinters such as Cadeaux Genereux and Sheikh Albadou.  

For only the fourth time, the day will end with The Macmillan Charity Race, a chance for twelve supporters to “ride the dream” as they participate in a nine furlong race around the famous Knavesmire. Each has pledged at least £2,500 to the charity and you can help them beat last year’s contribution of over £90,000 by visiting their donation pages on Just Giving. Emily Easterby, (daughter of Malton trainer, Tim) is the youngest, aged 19, whilst Jonathan Gill, (the owner of York and Royal Ascot winner, Fayr Jag), is more than four decades her senior, at 61.  

Once again, the charity auction so generously supported over the years is now available to view online in advance of the raceday.  This means everyone can place a bid for the many stunning lots. A once in a lifetime trip to Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle Racing Stables, a cottage stay for a week in Ireland or a Marbella Golf break are all amongst the travel items, with an array of fine dining experiences and various prestigious racing opportunities.  Signed Chelsea and Liverpool shirts, fly fishing in the Yorkshire Dales and a Porsche experience at Silverstone feature from the sporting world with two VIP tickets to the X-Factor final as one of the more unusual opportunities. Visit the yorkracecourse.co.uk news section for more information on how to make your bid.

 Since 2012, a Listed race has featured on the Saturday racing programme supported once again by Yorkshire-based racehorse owners, Ian and Kate Hall. The Ganton Stakes over one mile offers increased prize money of £40,000 and provides another reason to attend the day, just by attending, racegoers will increase the money raised for charity.  

Racing on Saturday begins at 2p.m. with the 27th running of The Queen Mother’s Cup, the richest race for lady amateur riders in Britain and a contest won by The Princess Royal in 1988. It offers an opportunity for the successful rider to toast her success in her own weight of G.H. Mumm champagne.

 JCB return to support a valuable handicap over nine furlongs. The high standard continues on this Charity Day with The Reg Griffin Appreciation EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes – a contest for two-year-olds named in honour of the founder of this Charity Day in 1971. The Ice Co° back a competitive handicap for the third year that denotes their support of Macmillan, a link that was cemented when company director, Polly Marr, rode in in the Macmillan Charity Race of 2013. The traditional seventh race of the card is once again, The Charles Henry Memorial Stakes. 

Macmillan Charity Day is part of a two-day meeting with racing on the Friday beginning with the support of Ripleycollection.com and the European Breeders’ Fund for a maiden two-year-olds affair over the minimum trip of five furlongs.

 Amongst the nineteen contests at York to benefit from the backing of the European Breeders’ Fund is the feature of the afternoon, a fillies sprint handicap over six furlongs, that continues the policy of having at least one contest worth £25,000 on every afternoon card on Knavesmire. 

DRS television will see their own name in lights on the television network they support at the track as they back a handicap contest over the extended ten furlongs. The SKF Rous Selling Stakes is supported for the eleventh year by engineering company, SKF (UK) Ltd. Then DBS (Doncaster Bloodstock Sales) will bring the excitement of the Sales Ring to the Winner’s Enclosure with an auction straight after the race. The Geoff Pemberton Memorial Stakes, a handicap contest over seven furlongs is held to remember a local racehorse owner. The Garbutt & Elliott Stakes – a handicap race for stayers over one mile and three-quarters shows the link to the course’s audit partners. On a card full of variety, the concluding race is a handicap contest for apprentice jockeys. 

The totepool-supported ‘Punters’ Panel’ takes place prior to racing on both days from the winner’s podium as a preview to the action on each day, while giant screens will provide racegoers with an even closer view of proceedings on the track. 

The two day meeting offers a further chance for racegoers to explore the latest phase of the Northern End Development at the course.  The new, relocated Weighing Room opened at the Dante Festival last month and has received a warm welcome from the riders. This two storey building is also home to the fabulous Parade Ring Restaurant on the first floor.   

Also seeing a two day meeting for the first time will be the new Owners’ entrance, Moët Pavilion with roof terrace, as well a scheme to showcase the Grade II* Listed John Carr Grandstand.  The latter is now framed by a modern single-span canopy and continues to serve as a popular bar, now benefitting from faster speed of service as a result of back-of-house improvements.  At a practical level, all three new blocks of toilets will be available as well a new grill and pizza kitchen. Further aspects of the development will become available for racegoers’ use as the course heads towards the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival in August.