ORGANISERS of the Macmillan Charity Raceday in York on Saturday are hoping the event will once again raise hundreds of thousands of pounds.

As well as racing action, there will be auctions and collections at York Racecourse raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and other good causes.

The finale to the day will be the Ride of their Lives – a charity horse race featuring 12 brave amateur riders.

Chris Hughes, star of ITV2’s Love Island, is among the group, which has raised more than £80,000 and counting, for Macmillan to take part.

There will be opportunities on the day for fans to have photos with Chris at a ‘selfie station’, in return for donations to Macmillan.

Every penny raised for Macmillan will help support the growing number of people living with cancer across the UK.

Jill Boak, 43, from Malton, is taking part in the Ride of their Lives in memory of her dad, former jockey Mark Birch, who died of lung cancer in 2016.

She said: “It’s been a heck of a journey. I’m absolutely looking forward to the big day; it’s going to be very emotional for me with my dad’s ashes being at the winning post.”

The riders have been through months of training ahead of the race, which will see them race thoroughbred horses over nine furlongs of Knavesmire, in front of thousands of spectators.

The day will also see the conclusion of an online charity auction, with lots including holidays, sporting memorabilia and designer goods. There is still the chance to bid on a lot, even if you cannot make the raceday itself.

Visit www.macmillanyorkraceday.co.uk for more information on how to make your bid.

Alexandra Schimmel, Macmillan event development manager, said: “Macmillan Charity Raceday is Macmillan’s single-biggest fundraising event. It’s a great day out and raises such an amazing amount of money.

"Donations help fund Macmillan’s vital services, which include nurses, information specialists and welfare benefits advisers, which are there to help people living with cancer.”

Macmillan Charity Raceday, which raised about £500,000 last year, is a fundraising collaboration between York Racecourse and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The day of professional racing and fundraising has been held annually since 1971, raising more than £7 million in total for Macmillan and other charitable causes.

Just by going on the day, racegoers will be playing their part in the wider fundraising.

The Chris Hughes selfie station will be taking place from 11.30am to 1.30pm between the champagne bar and the paddock at York Racecourse.

For more information about the raceday, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/charityraceday