The Ebor Festival gets underway at York on Wednesday with a spectacular afternoon's racing. The Group 1 International Stakes is the highlight of the afternoon and, arguably, of the entire week, as Sir Henry Cecil's duo Midday and Twice Over take on Await The Dawn. The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes and the Group 3 Acomb Stakes also feature on an excellent card.

Elsewhere in Britain, Carlisle and Nottingham play host to Flat racing in the afternoon, as does Folkestone in the evening. The solitary Jumps card of the day comes at Hereford whilst over in Ireland there will Flat racing from Bellewstown.

The York Festival continues on Thursday and the highlight of the afternoon is the Yorkshire Oaks, where the very best three-year-old fillies tackle their elders over a mile and a half. This year's renewal looks particularly exciting with dual-classic winner Blue Bunting taking on Snow Fairy and Crystal Capella. The second day also includes the Group 2 Lowther Stakes.

There is a further Flat card taking place at Hamilton in the afternoon, whilst Epsom and Southwell host evening meetings. There are two meetings featuring Jumps racing, with an afternoon meeting at Stratford and an evening meeting at Fontwell.

Over in Ireland there is Jumps racing at Bellewstown and Tipperary hosts the Fairy Bridge Stakes.

Further racing from York during the afternoon, and the Nunthorpe, run over the five-furlong course, is the highlight. This year's renewal looks particularly open as Bapak Chinta and Hoof It currently vie for favouritism. The Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes and the Group 3 Strensall Stakes also feature on an action-packed card.

Sandown makes up the remainder of the afternoon's flat racing, whilst there are evening meetings on the level from both Salisbury and Wolverhampton. There is just the one Jumps meeting on Friday and that comes from Bangor-on-Dee during the afternoon.

There are also two meetings from the opposite side of the Irish Sea with Jumps racing at Kilbeggan and Flat racing at Wexford.

Saturday sees the York meeting on the Knavesmire draw to a close and the Ebor Handicap is the highlight on the final day. This year's contest currently revolves around Lost in the Moment, Saptapadi and Modun. The Group 2 Lonsdale Cup is the other feature race during the final afternoon of the meeting.

There will also be Flat racing from Chester and Sandown on Saturday afternoon whilst Bath hosts a night meeting. There are three Jumps meetings too as Newton Abott and Perth stage afternoon racing whilst action continues during the evening at Market Rasen.

Over in Ireland the feature from a Flat meeting at the Curragh is the Group 2 Futurity Stakes on a card that also includes an Irish St. Leger trial.

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