English/Ire
Racing Week Ahead
The middle of May marks a key stage of final Epsom Classic trials alongside top-level racing across both codes during the next seven days.
Windsor is known to be the Monday evening summer racing venue and their tradition continues on Monday 12th with a competitive seven race card featuring a leg of the Fitzdares sponsored Sprint Series, a popular series of handicaps throughout the summer at Windsor aimed for the middle class of runners.
All eyes will be focused on the return of the Knavesmire for the three day Dante Festival at York racecourse between Wednesday 14th – Friday 16th with eight black types events alongside multiple competitive handicaps.
The three day Festival begins with the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap before racing on the straight track is headlined by the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes over 6f with notable names including G3 winner, Elite Status, last years G1 Commonwealth Cup scorer, Inisherin and course winner, Flora Of Bermuda.
Six have been declared for the Fillies Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes run over 1m 2f, one of the last Epsom Oaks trials including two-time Lingfield winner Go Go Boots, Newbury debut scorer Serenity Prayer, Newmarket Listed winner Smoken and the Aidan O'Brien trained, Whirl who already holds G3 winning form from last October.
Thursday's York programme begins with a pair of competitive handicaps before Group 2 action including the 1m 2f Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes, won last year by Bluestocking who went onto Group 1 glory at the Curragh and Longchamp in the Pretty Polly and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The feature race of the week at York is run Thursday, the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, a Group 2 over 1m 2f where fourteen have been entered including the Godolphin unbeaten three-year-old, Alpine Trail, the Gosden trained Nightwalker and one of Aidan O'Brien's most talked about horses, The Lion In Winter who won on the Knavesmire last August taking the 7f G3 Acomb Stakes with the second that day, Wimbledon Hawkeye also entered.
Last Year Big Evs landed the 5f Westow Stakes and this Listed event can be a good form line ahead of Royal Ascot.
The highlight of the final day at York is the Group 2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup over 1m 6f with entries including Rebel's Romance, three-time course winner Hamish and 2023 St Leger winner, Continuous. Two-year-old Royal Ascot clues could be found in the opening Listed Marygate Fillies' Stakes.
The attention on Saturday for flat fans goes to Berkshire with the Group 1 BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes, part of a World Pool fixture at Newbury. Twenty entries including Dancing Gemini, Kinross, Notable Speech, and Rosallion. The Group 3 Aston Park over 1m 4f, and the London Gold Cup Heritage Handicap are just two other highlights on an excellent Saturday programme.
Jump fans will be watching France with Auteuil staging their big two-day jumping Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Day one is headlined by the French champion hurdle, Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil over 3m 1f before three Grade 1's on Sunday, the Prix Alan du Breil Hurdle (four-year-olds), four-year-old chasers in the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure before the feature, the 3m 6f Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
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