Here are details on some key racing taking place this week in Britain and Ireland between Thursday and Sunday.
In Ireland
Kilbeggan (first race 4:15pm) stages two €20,000 races on Friday card, while on Saturday at Navan (1:45pm) the key races are the €24,000 Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden (5f, 164y, 1:45pm), the €25,000 Troytown Bar Handicap (5f, 2:55pm) and the €40,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery (5f, 3:30pm).
They also race at Wexford (2pm) on Saturday, then on Sunday, the fantastic seven-day Harvest Festival at Listowel begins.
Day one, a card that consists of four hurdle races, two chases and a bumper, features the €40,000 Kerry Group Handicap Chase (4:40pm, 2m4f), but three other races on the card are worth €20,000 or more.
In Britain
On Thursday, Haydock’s three-day Group 1 Sprint Cup meeting begins. The opening day (first race 1:50pm) features a £30,000 fillies’ handicap (3yo+, 10f42y) and a £22,000 11f140y handicap (3yo+) and Friday’s card (first race 1:45pm) features a £30,000 Optional Claiming Handicap (6f, 4yo+).
Saturday’s card, though, is one of the best days of racing of the year. Carrying £645,100 in prize-money, it consists of the following races:
- £100,000 Garswood Handicap (3yo, 14f), 1:50pm
- £63,000 Group 3 Superior Mile Stakes (3yo+, 8f37y), 2:25pm
- £25,500 Ascendant Stakes (Listed Race, 2yo, 8f37y), 3pm
- £100,000 Old Borough Handicap (3yo+, 14f, 3:35pm)
- £300,000 Group 1 Sprint Cup (3yo+, 6f, 4:10pm)
- £35,000 Be Friendly Handicap (3yo+, 5f, 4:45pm)
- £21,500 Lowton Handicap (3yo+, 8f37y, 5:20pm)
Aidan O’Brien’s Ten Sovereigns is aiming for more Group 1 glory at Haydock on Saturday – ground permitting
On Thursday, there is a very good card at Salisbury, which features the following contests:
- £20,000 2yo fillies’ maiden (3:10pm, 7f)
- £45,000 Group 3 Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies’ (2yo, 6f, 3:40pm)
- £24,000 European Bloodstock News EBF “Lochsong” Fillies’ Handicap (4:10pm, 3yo+ rated 0-100, 6f)
The great, multiple Group 1 winner Lochsong is remembered at Salisbury on Thursday
Newcastle’s Friday card (first race 1:30pm) features a, £22,500 nursery (3:15pm, 8f5y), while Kempton’s meeting (5:40pm) includes a £19,000 2yo race (7:10pm, 7f)
Ascot race on Friday (first race 1:55pm), where the feature race is the £30,000 Lexicon Bracknell Handicap (4:10pm, 8f, 3yo+), and Saturday (1:35pm), where the card will include the following:
- £80,000 Cunard Handicap (2:45pm, 3yo+, 7f)
- £30,000 Ritz Club British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicap (3:20pm, 3yo+ rated 81-100, 8f)
- £100,000 Lavazza Stakes (Heritage Handicap), 3yo, 3:55pm, 11f311y
- £30,000 Fever-Tree (3yo+, rated 0-105, 4:30pm)
Kempton stages a superb card on Saturday (first race 2:05pm), on that includes the following:
- Group 3 £70,000 September Stakes (3yo+, 11f219y, 2:05pm)
- £70,000 “London Mile” Handicap (Series Final), 8f, 3yo+
- £60,000 Group 3 Sirenia Stakes (2yo, 4:25pm, 6f)
On Thirsk’s card on Saturday (first race 1:55pm), no race is worth less than £10,000 and three of the races, including the 12f Calverts Carpets Hambleton Cup Handicap (4:50pm), are worth £20,000.
On Sunday, the main race at York (first race 1:50pm) is the LNER Supporting Calm Garrowby Stakes (Listed Race, £50,000, 2:55pm. 3yo+). All races on the card are worth at least £15,000.