There are a total of nine racecourses in the county of Yorkshire, the very best of which is this flat racing venue in the southwest of the beautiful city of York. Behind only Ascot in terms of the average prize money on offer, the course referred to as the Knavesmire is an exceptional racing venue by any standards.
The York season kicks off in May each year with the four-day Spring Festival – featuring the key Derby trial of the Dante Stakes – and runs through to October. Further highlights include the two-day John Smiths Cup meeting in July and the magnificent four-day Ebor Festival in August which is lit up by the Ebor Handicap and the Group 1 International Stakes.
Upcoming Fixtures at York
- Sunday 6th September 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 9th October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 10th October 2026 - Flat / Turf
Recent Fixtures
- Saturday 22nd August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 21st August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 20th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 19th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 25th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 24th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 11th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 10th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 27th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 13th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 12th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 23rd May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 15th May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 14th May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 13th May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 11th October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 10th October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Sunday 7th September 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 23rd August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 22nd August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 21st August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 20th August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 26th July 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 25th July 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 12th July 2025 - Flat / Turf
York Major Meetings
There are great racecourses, there are iconic racecourses, and then there is York. Widely regarded as one of the finest Flat racing venues anywhere in the world, the Knavesmire has been home to some of the sport’s greatest champions, unforgettable performances and biggest crowds for well over a century.
The quality of racing staged here is extraordinary. Group 1 contests regularly attract the very best horses from Britain, Ireland and beyond, while prestigious handicaps and Pattern races provide opportunities for future stars to emerge. Such is York’s standing within the sport that it even stepped in to host Royal Ascot in 2005 while Ascot Racecourse underwent redevelopment.
Whether you’re visiting for a flagship festival or an ordinary midweek fixture, York delivers one of the finest racegoing experiences in Britain. Superb viewing, excellent facilities, passionate crowds and consistently outstanding racing make every meeting feel like an occasion.
Dante Festival (May)
The Dante Festival is York’s traditional curtain-raiser and one of the most significant meetings of the Flat season. Spread across three days, it provides the perfect launchpad towards the Classics and regularly showcases horses that will go on to compete in, and often win, races such as the Derby, Oaks and St Leger.
Wednesday begins with two high-quality Pattern races. The Group 2 Minster Stakes elite sprinters, while the Musidora Stakes has long been recognised as one of Britain’s leading Oaks trials.
Thursday belongs to the magnificent Dante Stakes, arguably the country’s premier Derby trial. Countless Derby winners have enhanced their reputations here before travelling to Epsom. The supporting Middleton Stakes is one of the season’s top contests for older fillies and mares, while the Hambleton Handicap remains a fiercely competitive betting race.
Friday concludes with the historic Yorkshire Cup, one of Europe’s leading staying contests and an important stepping stone towards Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup.
- Three days packed with Classic trials and Group racing
- Home to Britain’s premier Derby trial, the Dante Stakes
- Regularly features future Classic and Group 1 winners
Brontë Cup Day (June)
Named after Yorkshire’s famous literary family, Brontë Cup Day celebrates staying talent and provides another quality afternoon of Flat racing on the Knavesmire. The Listed Grand Cup headlines the card, attracting proven middle-distance and staying performers preparing for bigger summer targets.
- Headlined by the Listed Grand Cup and the Brontë Cup
- Important early-summer staying fixture
- Celebrates Yorkshire’s racing and cultural heritage
Criterion Stakes Day (June)
Having moved from Newmarket, the Criterion Stakes has found an excellent home at York. The Group 3 contest brings together talented seven-furlong specialists and adds another valuable Pattern race to York’s already exceptional programme.
- Features the Group 3 Criterion Stakes
- Highlights York’s strength throughout the Flat season
- Attracts quality sprinters and milers
John Smith’s Cup Meeting (July)
One of Britain’s great midsummer meetings, the John Smith’s Cup fixture perfectly blends top-class racing with one of the most competitive handicaps of the entire season.
Friday features the Summer Stakes, while Saturday’s card includes the City Walls Stakes, the John Smith’s Silver Cup and, of course, the famous John Smith’s Cup itself. First run in 1960, the race remains one of the most prestigious heritage handicaps in the country and is a race every owner dreams of winning.
With packed grandstands, superb racing and a fantastic social atmosphere, it is one of York’s most popular weekends.
- Home to the historic John Smith’s Cup Handicap
- Includes the Summer Stakes and John Smith’s Silver Cup
- One of Britain’s best-attended midsummer meetings
Ebor Festival (August)
If there is a better four-day Flat racing festival anywhere outside Royal Ascot, few would argue for it. The Ebor Festival is York at its absolute best, bringing together world-class horses, elite jockeys and some of the biggest crowds of the British sporting summer.
Wednesday opens with a sensational card featuring the Acomb Stakes, Great Voltigeur Stakes and the magnificent Juddmonte International. Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest horse races, the Juddmonte International has been won by legends including Frankel, Sea The Stars, Baaeed and Australia, with many considering it Europe’s premier ten-furlong contest.
Thursday centres on the outstanding Yorkshire Oaks, one of the world’s leading races for fillies and mares. Supporting contests include the Lowther Stakes, Galtres Stakes and the valuable British EBF Fillies’ Handicap.
On Friday we see one of the finest racecards staged anywhere all year. The lightning-fast Nunthorpe Stakes is Europe’s premier five-furlong sprint and one of the few Group 1 races open to two-year-olds against older horses. Alongside it sit the Lonsdale Cup, Gimcrack Stakes, Sky Bet Mile and the famous Convivial Maiden, a race that has launched countless future stars.
Saturday delivers a spectacular finale. The recently promoted Group 1 City of York Stakes continues to grow in stature, while the historic Ebor Handicap remains one of the richest and most prestigious staying handicaps in Europe. The supporting Strensall Stakes, Melrose Handicapand Roses Stakes ensure there is quality from the opening race to the last.
The Ebor Festival perfectly encapsulates everything that makes York exceptional: elite horses, iconic races, passionate crowds and an atmosphere that rivals any meeting in the sport.
- Four days featuring multiple Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 races
- Home to the Juddmonte International, Yorkshire Oaks, Nunthorpe Stakes and Ebor Handicap
- One of the greatest Flat racing festivals anywhere in the world
