THEY are under starter’s orders once again for the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival.

The nine-day festival will kick off this year at Ripon on Saturday, July 18 and takes in action at eight of the county’s courses before concluding at Pontefract on Sunday, July 26.

The festival also includes the popular Music Showcase Weekend at York, which starts with a Friday evening meeting on July 24 and resumes the following day.

About one million people attend the nine Yorkshire racetracks every year and the festival aims to showcase all that is good about the sport, while also giving tourism a boost.

Last year’s festival, the first, was judged a huge success and the nine-day event is once again being supported by Harrogate-based bookmakers SkyBet.

Racegoers attending the meetings will also hear a familiar voice from the commentary box – that of Mark Johnson who called the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs earlier this month.

The festival will be officially opened by the Sport’s Minister Gerry Sutcliffe.

Sutcliffe said: “I am delighted to be the guest of honour at the Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival.

“Here we have the county’s racecourses pooling their resources to create a unique festival that will be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. I wish the event every success.”

A special racecard competition each day will end in a prize draw for a racing holiday overseas.

Go Racing In Yorkshire is the Wetherby-based umbrella organisation which aims to promote all nine of Yorkshire’s racecourses.

The full dates of the Yorkshire Summer Festival are: Saturday, July 18 Ripon; Sunday, July 19 Redcar; Monday, July 20 (evening) Beverley; Tuesday, July 21 Northern Racing College open day; Wednesday, July 22 Catterick; Thursday, July 23 Doncaster (evening); Friday, July 24 Thirsk; Friday, July 24 York (evening); Saturday, July 25 York; Sunday, July 26 Pontefract.

For further details on the festival and how to book tickets, log on over the following weeks to www.goracing.co.uk/festival.asp