New facilities and record prize money at York

Action for the 2015 season at York Racecourse gets underway with the three day Dante Festival starting on Wednesday 13 May.

With a record investment of over £1m in prize money, and the latest phase of the Northern End Development to be revealed to racegoers and racing professionals, excitement is building for the 17 raceday season ahead on the Knavesmire.

Prize money over the three days of the Dante Festival has risen by £75,000, with all of the feature Group contests receiving a boost. 

The biggest increase is a £20,000 rise for Wednesday’s Tattersalls Musidora which becomes the eighteenth race across the York season to offer a six figure sum to connections.  A feature race for three year old fillies, the Musidora has proved to be a leading form indicator for the Investec Oaks with six champion fillies that have gone on to achieve Classic glory. 

Last year’s winner, Madame Chiang, went on to land the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes on British Champions Day.  She could return this year as a four year old in the £110,000 Group 2 Betfred Middleton Stakes on the Thursday of the Festival.

The feature race of the week is staged on Thursday, the Betfred Dante, a Group Two contest offering a record prize fund of £160,000. Yorkshire trained horses have won the last two renewals of this flagship contest with last year’s victor, The Grey Gatsby, following up his York success with further victories at Chantilly in the French Derby and Leopardstown in the Irish Champion Stakes.

On Thursday, the addition of a new Listed race - the £40,000 British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes for three year old sprinters - means York will now host thirty races across the season that have Black Type status.

Over the three days, racegoers will have the chance to explore the latest phase of the Northern End Development at the course.  The new, relocated Weighing Room will be in use for the first time.  This two storey building will be home to modern sporting facilities for jockeys on the ground floor and the fabulous Parade Ring Restaurant on the first floor. 

York is honoured that His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, has agreed to visit the track on Wednesday 13 May.  The Duke will officially open the new Weighing Room and, as the richest race of the afternoon is the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes, it is fitting that the royal visitor will present the trophy for the race that bears his title.

Also in use for the first time will be a new Owners’ entrance, Moët Pavilion with roof terrace, as well a scheme to showcase the Grade II Listed John Carr Grandstand.  The latter will be framed by a modern single-span canopy and will continue to serve as a popular bar, now benefitting from faster speed of service as a result of back-of-house improvements. 

At a practical level, two new blocks of toilets will be available for May, with a third block to be opened over the summer.  Further aspects of the development will become available for racegoers’ use as the course heads towards the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival in August.

Friday’s principal race is The Betway Yorkshire Cup, now with £150,000 on offer to the leading stayers over one mile and three-quarters, a valuable and highly-rated Group Two ‘Cup’ race. 

Friday’s renewal is a Qipco British Champions Series race, the first of five York contests that are part of this special series of the top races in Britain.

David O’Meara, who is based near Helmsley, defended his title as the leading trainer at York last season and competition will again be fierce for the Charles Clinkard backed Top Trainer Trophy. 

The three times Champion jockey, Ryan Moore, was the top rider at York last season taking the Living North Magazine Trophy, also with nine successes.

The totepool ‘Punters’ Panel’ will preview the action each day from the winners’ enclosure, while a quintet of giant screens and an investment in flat screens televisions across the site, will provide racegoers with an even closer view of proceedings on the track.