Second day of York Racecourse's Music Showcase brings excitement

Yahoo

2 days ago

IT'S amazing to think that Ronan Keating first hit the headlines in 1993 when still a teenager with the formation of Boyzone.
His worldwide fan club, based not only on his music but also as a judge on X Factor is one of music's largest and the fact he plays the Knavesmire on the second leg of a world tour- and this is one of just two in the UK- is a considerable coup for the York Racecourse team.
His appearance on stage after the last race, will be a memorable climax to the Music Showcase weekend which also brings the Sky Bet Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival to a climax.
York took the decision a month or so ago to increase the prize money on their two featured Saturday races, and they have been handsomely rewarded with, just like Friday night in excess of 100 runners declared.
The £150,000 Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes (2.40pm) is seen as a stepping stone to next month's Group 1 Juddmonte International, which was voted the worlds best race in 2024 being run over the same mile and a quarter distance.
This race was first run in 2006 and Twice Over, who won in 2011 is the only one to have completed the double, while Alflailia became the first horse to win this race twice when beating Kings Gambit and Passenger a year ago.
Amazingly no jockey, so far, has won it more than once.
A top-class field of seven line up headed by Almaqam who was last seen winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
The race is a clash of the generations with three-year-old Stanhope Gardens, fifth in the Derby at Epsom and Irish raider Green Impact, sixth in the Irish Derby at The Curragh heading the younger age bracket.
The £100,000 Sky Bet Dash (2.00pm), has attracted a maximum 22 runner field- but all eyes will be on Elmonjed, trained by Yorkshireman-in-exile William Haggas who won the equally valuable Constantine Handicap at last year's Sky Bet Ebor Festival.
A draw in Stall 10 will only offer encouragement for his supporters.
The second big sprint is unique as the jump jockeys, used to three miles plus around Aintree, Cheltenham and more locally at Wetherby, get their chance to exit from the stalls in the Jump Jockeys Nunthorpe (3.20pm) to face the shortest distance possible, just five furlongs.
20 of them will test this new skill to including Joe Williamson aboard Soul Seeker- first and second in this race for the last two years.
York record holder, Copper Knight, is to be ridden by Jamie Hamilton, who tries to land his 8th victory on the Knavesmire at the thirty-third time of asking.
Racing begins at 1.25pm with all the York facilities open for business, be it the new areas for food and drink in the Bustardthorpe End or in the centre of the course for picnics. But one thing is sure, the sporting action may well be a roller coaster that will all help build the atmosphere pending Mr Keating's arrival.