Go Racing in Yorkshire
April 2012
The John Smith's Grand National takes centre-stage this month; the world's most famous race over Jumps on Saturday, 14th is contested over four and a half miles with 30 unique spruce fences to be negotiated. Prize money for this year's renewal is a record £950,000 and only three horses from the white rose county have been entered for the Aintree spectacular - According To Pete and King Fontaine from the Malton stable of Malcolm Jefferson and Neptune Equester representing fellow Malton trainer, Brian Ellison - although it remains to be seen if any will face the starter. It was back in 1960 when the last Yorkshire-trained horse (Merryman II) won the Grand National. Last year's winner, Ballabriggs (trained in Cheshire by Donald McCain) is set to be a leading contender again.
The month starts with a Sunday programme on the 1st at Doncaster. It's the second leg of a two-day fixture on Town Moor, with the main race being The Doncaster Shield, a Conditions race over one mile and a half, won last year by Cracking Lass, trained at Malton by Richard Fahey and ridden by the champion jockey Paul Hanagan, who went on to successfully defend his title.
Doncaster also hosts a fixture on Friday afternoon and Saturday evening (27th & 28th) - the second leg being the first evening card of the year in Yorkshire.
Redcar's campaign on the Flat gets underway with two consecutive Monday programmes - 2nd & 9th. He latter is the annual Easter Monday meeting at Yorkshire's seaside course. Then it's the turn of Pontefract (Tuesday, 10th), Catterick (Wednesday, 11th), Beverley (Wednesday, 18th), Ripon (Thursday, 19th) and Thirsk (Saturday, 21st) all opening their doors for the first time in 2012.
Catterick's campaign on the Flat continues on Wednesday, 25th, while Beverley (Thursday, 26th) and Ripon (Saturday, 28th) are all quickly back in action.
Britain's longest handicap race on the Flat, The Pontefract Marathon Handicap Stakes (a race which produced a 100/1 winner last year in Spruzzo, trained at Middleham in North Yorkshire by Chris Fairhurst), is a highlight at the West Yorkshire course on Monday, 23rd.
Wetherby's ‘Family Day' on Sunday (29th) features the seventh running of ‘The Mascot Gold Cup', described as the largest mascot race in the world; an event organised by Yorkshire Young Farmers in aid of various charities, in particular Sue Ryder Care and supported by the White Rose York branch of Foresters.
The mascots will limber up in the parade ring prior to racing and then race over the final furlong of the track in front of the grandstands after the opening race. There are about half a dozen ‘fences' to be negotiated and anything can happen!
The annual Middleham Stables Open Day takes place on Good Friday (6th), when many stables in the historic North Yorkshire town are open to the public. It's a great opportunity to take the family to see the equine stars of the Yorkshire racing scene, while you can also mingle with trainers and jockeys.
May 2012
All nine Yorkshire racecourses are in action this month, as the summer season explodes upon the local racing scene, providing a plethora of weekend, midweek and evening fixtures to consider. The Flat season really begins to blossom On a national basis, the first Classics of 2012 - The 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas take place at Newmarket during the first weekend of the month, while the county's main meeting is York's opening fixture of the year, the prestigious three-day Dante Festival on Wednesday (16th), Thursday (17th) and Friday (18th). This spectacular on the famous Knavesmire will attract principal contenders for the leading races this year, in particular next month's Classics - the Derby and the Oaks - as well as Royal Ascot.
The first of the Dante Festival features this season's Classic crop of top staying fillies competing in The Tattersalls Musidora Stakes. Speed is of the essence in The Duke Of York Stakes for leading sprinters, while Britain's richest and most informative Derby trial, the Totepool Dante Stakes, is the big race on the second day. Last year's race produced a royal winner in Carlton House, owned by The Queen. The colt went on to finish a highly-creditable third in the Derby. Thursday's programme also features leading older fillies in the Totepool Middleton Stakes (won last year by the brilliant Midday, trained at Newmarket by Sir Henry Cecil). The best stayers in the business compete in Friday's Sportingbet Yorkshire Cup -a race won last year by the Newmarket-trained Duncan.
York is also in action on Saturday, 26th, when the Stowe Family Law LLP Grand Cup - a Listed race for stayers - is featured. Times Up took 
the honours last year for veteran trainer, John Dunlop, who is based at Arundel in Sussex.
The month begins with the annual charity meeting at Pontefract in aid of The Northern Racing College on Wednesday, 2nd. The College is based at Rossington Hall near Doncaster. The popular Thirsk Hunt Cup Day takes place on Saturday, 5th, while a busy month for Thirsk also includes further successive Saturday fixtures on 12th (evening) and ‘Irish Day' at the North Yorkshire track on the 19th.
Doncaster hosts a couple of Saturday evening cards this month - (5th & 19th) - the latter being ‘Ladies Evening' on Town Moor.
There's Bank Holiday racing at the only racecourse in East Yorkshire, Beverley on Monday, 7th with a host of family entertainment provided by Beverley Rotary Club during the afternoon, followed by a meeting the following week (Tuesday, 15th). The highlight on Wednesday evening, 30th is The Hilary Needler Trophy, a Conditions race for precocious juvenile fillies (won last year by Dozy - trained at Hambleton in North Yorkshire by Kevin Ryan). This evening on the Westwood should be awash with pink, as the racecourse links up with Breast Cancer Care, to form part of the annual award-winning ‘Lucky in Love' themed night which involves padlocks and keys for those wishing to find a kindred spirit!
Sally Iggulden, chief executive of Beverley Racecourse, said "'Lucky in Love Night' has been a fantastic event over the last two years and I'm excited to be able to combine a mixture of horseracing, networking and prizes with the opportunity to raise funds for such a worthy cause."
There's Friday evening racing at Yorkshire's ‘Garden Racecourse' Ripon on the 11th, followed by the course's annual ‘Family Day Sunday' programme on the 20th featuring a variety of family attractions. The North Yorkshire track is also in action on Tuesday, 29th.
There are successive Monday afternoon cards at Redcar on 14th (Racing Welfare Day) and 21st, while Catterick stages evening meetings on Tuesday (8th) and Friday (25th).
Jump racing fans are catered for as Wetherby's campaign continues with a couple of consecutive Thursday meetings during May. The first is the annual ‘Yorkshire Post Ladies Day' afternoon fixture on the 24th - which launches the official ‘Ladies Days' on the Yorkshire racecourses this summer, in which the lady who wins the ‘Best-Dressed' award will be invited to take part in the Grand Final at Doncaster in September to find Yorkshire's ‘Best Dressed Lady Racegoer'. During the afternoon at Wetherby, racegoers can enjoy the fashion shows on the catwalk between races in the ‘Life & Style' marquee, organised by the millinery students from Leeds College of Art & Design, featuring the ‘Hatmakers of the North' This is followed by the Wetherby Community Race Night on the 31st.