LEADING National Hunt jockeys Tom Scudamore and Paddy Brennan and are preparing for their first taste of action on the flat of York’s Knavesmire.

The duo, who have ridden the last two winners of the King George VI Chase at Kempton, are among the 18 riders tomorrow in a new race dubbed the “Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe.”

Scudamore, best known for riding star steeplechaser Thistlecrack, will be on board Gamesome which is trained locally at Westow by Paul Midgley.

Brennan, who is a regular on the mighty Cue Card, rides the in-form Henley for County Durham-based trainer Tracy Waggott.

The ‘Follow Sun Bets On Twitter Handicap’ offers prize money of £20,000 and will be run over the same five furlongs used for the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival in August.

Although jump jockeys are better suited to three mile chases than five furlong sprints, both men have experienced racing on the flat in their youth.

Scudamore said: “When I first started, aged 16, I rode on the Flat. Ryan Moore, Davy Russell and myself all started off competing against each other on the Flat.

“It was a very good experience and one I thoroughly enjoyed,” he recalls. “I was champion amateur on the Flat (in 2001). I think I rode 10 winners, so I did OK, but it was a long, long time ago.”

On the possibility of winning tomorrow’s race, Scudamore said: “It would be tremendous, a great thrill. I might have ridden a sprinter, as an amateur, around Redcar, but other than that, I’ve never ridden in a sprint race so it will be a new experience and one I’m very much looking forward to.”

Brennan, meanwhile, says: “I started with Jim Bolger (in Ireland) and I rode a winner over five furlongs at Navan. It’s a long, long time ago but yeah, I’ve experienced it.

“The horse has won his last two – so any rain probably won’t do him any harm - but it’s five furlongs and we’ll jump out and go as fast as we can.

“This is definitely new to most of the lads,” he admitted. “They wouldn’t have experienced anything like this, ever. And York is a lovely place. I’ve been there before. It’s one of the nicest racecourses. So I’m looking forward to going and riding on the track.”

Sam Twiston-Davies, Nico De Boinville, Andrew Tinkler, and Aidan Coleman are among the other jump jockeys involved the race which forms part of a brand new raceday at York this season, the Summer Music Saturday, which ends with a concert by pop star Olly Murs.

As with every meeting at York, there is a feature race worth £50,000, the Sunbets middle distance handicap, among the seven race card.

Newmarket trainer Ed Vaughan will be looking for Meteor Light to complete a hat-trick of victories in the race after wins in two of his first three outings.

The three-year-old is stepping up in grade to Class 2 level for the extended mile and a quarter trip and will be up against some strong northern opposition in the shape of Society Red and Cullingworth, trained by Richard Fahey, and Tim Easterby’s Appointed which was narrowly beaten in the British EBF Fillies Handicap at York in May.

“He is a progressive horse who won nicely last time from a tricky draw,” said Vaughan. “I know it’s soft ground at York but a bit of juice won’t hinder him and I think the track will suit him, also.

“It’s a nice flat, galloping track. It’s a ‘no excuses’ track for any horse, really. He still doesn’t know a whole lot about racing and he’ll improve again for another run. But I think he is probably in better shape than he ever has been.”