As the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival, sponsored by Sky Bet, gallops into view this July, a new twist is adding even more excitement for racegoers and trainers alike.
Introducing the £5,000 Trainers’ Challenge – a high-stakes bonus that could see one sharp-eyed trainer walk away with a cash prize for sheer consistency and planning across the week.
Five Days, Five Wins, One Big Prize
The challenge is simple in theory – but tricky in execution: the first trainer to land one winner on five different days during the festival will take home a £5,000 bonus.
With eight days of thrilling racing action lined up across Yorkshire from Friday 18 to Saturday 26 July, there’s plenty of opportunity – but also stiff competition.
Racing Across Yorkshire
The festival, a highlight in the county’s flat racing calendar, features meetings at iconic tracks including Pontefract, Ripon, Doncaster, Redcar, Beverley, Catterick, Thirsk and York.
Ben Warn, Chairman of Go Racing In Yorkshire, says the challenge brings an extra layer of excitement to an already packed week:
“There are eight days of racing during the Summer Festival, so it won’t be easy, but we thought it would be a fun addition to the week. Competition is always healthy in Yorkshire, so we are keen to support anything that encourages and rewards runners in the county.”
A Realistic Challenge?
While it’s no small feat, the bonus isn’t beyond reach. In recent years, trainers such as David O’Meara and Richard Fahey would have successfully completed the challenge had it been in place.
David O’Meara, whose stables regularly send out strong teams in Yorkshire, commented:
“We have a lot of runners in Yorkshire so a challenge like this is right up our street. We’ll be looking carefully at the races to make sure we have as many runners as possible throughout the week and hope to take the prize home with us.”
Track the Progress
The earliest the bonus could be claimed is Wednesday 23 July at Catterick, if a trainer manages to win on each of the first five days of the festival. Racegoers can follow the Trainers’ Challenge throughout the week, with daily leaderboards displayed at the racecourses and shared on Go Racing In Yorkshire’s social media channels.
Whether you’re following the horses, the hats or the hunt for the bonus, this year’s Summer Festival is shaping up to be more exciting than ever.
Festival Fixtures
Here’s where and when the action takes place:
- Friday 18 July – Pontefract (evening)
- Saturday 19 July – Ripon
- Saturday 19 July – Doncaster (evening)
- Sunday 20 July – Redcar
- Monday 21 July – Beverley (evening)
- Wednesday 23 July – Catterick
- Wednesday 23 July – Doncaster (evening)
- Thursday 24 July – Doncaster
- Friday 25 July – Thirsk
- Friday 25 July – York (evening)
- Saturday 26 July – York
For full festival info, race times, tickets and updates, visit Go Racing In Yorkshire
