The nine-day Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival, highlighted by the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes on Knavesmire today, comes to a climax at Pontefract tomorrow with a seven-race card.

The Ponte meeting is showpieced by the £30,000 Pomfret Stakes, also backed by Sky Bet.

A Listed race, run over a mile, the Pomfret looks a golden opportunity for Cityscape to get his head in front after crossing swords last month with no less than Canford Cliffs and Goldikova at Royal Ascot.

That he managed to finish third behind that gigantic duo reflected huge credit on Roger Charlton’s five-year-old, who had previously finished second to Dick Turpin in Group 2 company at Sandown.

Cityscape undoubtedly brings the best recent form to the table at Pontefract and, with Steve Drowne in the saddle, he is fancied to prove his class.

Riding honours on the day could fall to Kieren Fallon, who has good prospects of landing a treble on a course where he used to be leading rider when he was based in North Yorkshire.

Fallon looks an interesting booking for the Michael Bell-trained newcomer Gabrial The King in the opening Welcome To Yorkshire Maiden Stakes and this son of Speightstown, owned by Dr Marwan Koukash is not to be underestimated.

In the John Ransome Accountancy Services Handicap, Fallon will be aboard Muwalla, trained by Chris Grant after being recruited from the James Bethell yard since his latest win at Leicester. He looks to have a solid chance.

Nordic Sky can be another winner for Fallon in the Keepmoat Maiden Stakes.

William Haggas’ once-raced three-year-old showed a good level of ability at Yarmouth last season when beaten only half a length. He looks the type to pay his way this term.

In the Graham Rock Memorial Handicap, John Dunlop can take the spoils with Hot Spice, a winner at Haydock last time out. Phil Makin, on board that day, again has the mount.

At Carlisle tomorrow, a close eye should be kept on Paul Hanagan’s mounts.

The champion jockey has sound prospects on at least four of his rides, starting off with Summer Lane, who shaped well first time out to finish fourth, in the opening Rebecca Ferguson Live After Racing Today Maiden Stakes.

Green Warrior was a horse Hanagan scored on at Musselburgh earlier in the week. He goes for a quick double in the Lloyd BMW Handicap.

Sunnyside Tom, who goes well on this course, won the Les Tallantire Memorial Claiming Stakes 12 months ago and the Richard Fahey-trained gelding goes for an encore under Hanagan, who also has good prospects on nap choice Philharmonic Hall in the Paije Richardson Live Handicap.

Carlisle’s feature race is the £12,000 Stobart Ladies’ Northern Derby for lady amateur riders.

The vote goes to Crackentorp, trained by Tim Easterby and the mount of Jacqueline Coward, who won on him last month in the Queen Mother’s Cup at York last month.

Racing selections

York (today)

2.00 Risky Art (NAP), 2.30 Love Over Gold, 3.05 Twice Over, 3.40 Hoof It, 4.10 Lady Loch, 4.45 Bollin Judith, 5.20 Powerful Presence.

Today’s other meetings

Ascot, Lingfield, Newcastle, Newmarket and Salisbury.

Pontefract (tomorrow)

2.05 Gabrial The King, 2.40 Muwalla, 3.15 Hot Spice, 3.50 Cityscape, 4.25 Valery Borzov, 5.00 Nordic Sky, 5.30 Silvanus.

Carlisle (tomorrow)

1.50 Summer Lane, 2.25 Green Warrior, 3.00 Crackentorp, 3.35 Sunnyside Tom, 4.10 No Quarter, 4.45 She’s Got The Luck, 5.20 Philharmonic Hall (NAP).

Tomorrow’s other meeting

Ascot.