A REPEAT of the four-day Ebor Festival is the highlight of 17 days of action scheduled at York Racecourse in 2009.

The Knavesmire fixture list will be expanded from this year’s 15 days of racing following the completion of the major track work project at the course.

The 2009 Ebor Festival runs from Tuesday, August 18 to Friday, August 21, while the 50th running of the prestigious John Smith’s Cup will be staged on Saturday, July 11.

The season kicks off with the three-day Dante Festival, starting on Wednesday, May 13, and York retains the May Spring Meeting on Saturday, May 30, which this year attracted a crowd of 20,000-plus for the feature National Express Sprint Cup.

The 39th Timeform Charity Meeting is staged on June 12 and 13, with the Music Showcase Weekend – including York’s only evening card – retaining its late July slot.

The ever-popular Press Family Raceday returns to its traditional September Sunday slot, on September 6.

The season concludes with the October Finale Stakes on Friday, October 9 and The Sprint Trophy meeting on Saturday, October 10.

York’s 2008 fixture programme closes with the inaugural four-day Ebor Festival and James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship, believes there is an “appetite” for it to remain in the calendar for the long-term.

“We think it will improve the standard of the race programme,” he said. “When it settles in, it will be welcomed by connections and racegoers.

“We know our existing Friday fixtures are popular and having that as part of the Ebor seems like it will be popular with racegoers.

“All the money we would get from more racing goes back into improving the course and the race programme.

“With this year’s four-day Ebor, we are putting in £350,000 more than for last year’s three-day Ebor. We have demonstrated the desire to invest.”

He added: “We had to put in the schedule for 2009 before we have had the experience of the four-day Ebor in 2008.

“We are excited about the first four-day festival. There will be things to learn, but that is how meetings evolve.”

York last staged 17 days of racing in 2006, when the St Leger meeting was moved to Knavesmire due to redevelopment work at Doncaster.

Brennan said the 17 days were essentially made up of York’s traditional 15 days, plus an evening meeting and Sunday raceday.


York Racecourse – 2009

Dante Festival

Wednesday, May 13
Tattersalls Musidora Stakes

Thursday, May 14
totesport Dante Stakes

Friday, May 15
Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup


May Spring Meeting

Saturday, May 30
National Express Sprint Cup


39th Timeform Charity Meeting

Friday, June 12
HSS Hire raceday

Saturday, June 13
The Betfair Sprint


50th John Smith’s Cup Meeting

Friday, July 10
Cuisine de France Summer Stakes

Saturday, July 11
50th John Smith’s Cup


Music Showcase Weekend

Friday, July 24
EBF Lyric Stakes and live music (evening)

Saturday, July 25
Sky Bet York Stakes and live music


Ebor Festival

Tuesday, August 18

Juddmonte International

Wednesday, August 19
totesport Ebor

Thursday, August 20
Darley Yorkshire Oaks

Friday, August 21
Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes


Second Summer

Sunday, September 6
The Press Family Raceday


October Meeting

Friday, October 9
October Finale Stakes

Saturday, October 10
The Sprint Trophy