DONCASTER'S seven-race programme on Friday (July 3), which begins at 2pm, is the backdrop to the centenary celebrations of Britain's first-ever organised Air Show, which took place in October 1909.
The racecourse has teamed up with the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington near York and Robin Hood Airport to mark the 100th Anniversary of that momentous Air Show, when thousands flocked to Town Moor to witness the wonderful flying machines and their
dare-devil aviators. There will be stands, memorabilia, characters in period costume and information about that history-making day at Doncaster.
On the track, the feature race is The Wakefield Hospice Handicap Stakes over seven furlongs. Other highlights are The crownhotel-bawtry.com Handicap Stakes, The funkyfascinators.co.uk Fillies' Handicap Stakes, The patedderyracing.com Professional Racehorse Syndication Maiden Stakes, The 1stsecuritysolutions.co.uk Claiming Stakes and The Doncaster Racecourse Sponsorship Club Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
Meanwhile at Pontefract Racecourse, Sprinters are in the spotlight on Tuesday (July 7), when the feature races, The King Richard III Handicap Stakes and The Dianne Nursery Handicap Stakes, are both contested over six furlongs. Racing on Tuesday – a seven-race programme - is scheduled to begin at 2.30pm.
The 26th running of The King Richard III Handicap Stakes – the afternoon's most valuable race, with prize money of £15,000 – commemorates the granting of a Royal Charter to the Borough of Pontefract in 1484 and the successful will receive a perpetual challenge trophy given by Pontefract Civic Trust, while The Dianne Nursery Handicap Stakes is one of the north's first handicap races for two-year-olds.
Harworth Estates, the property division of UK Coal, return to this meeting to sponsor a handicap race for three-year-old sprinters won last year by Le Toreador in the colours of well-known Yorkshire owner/breeder, Guy Reed.
