Busy Bank Holiday of Racing Plus Midweek Evening Group Action

Sandown Parade Ring
Image: 80N, Wikimedia Commons

This coming week does not see too much in the way of high-profile racing action across the United Kingdom and Ireland. This is not to say there is a shortage of horse racing meetings, though. In the UK alone, there are 34 meetings across the week, including five on bank holiday Monday. These bank holiday meetings are all advertised as being ‘family fun days’, and they can be a great place to take the kids. The same applies to Chester’s famous historically-themed ‘Roman Day’ on Saturday 31st May.

Elsewhere, across the various flat and jump race meetings, despite lacking any truly major events, there is plenty for racing fans to enjoy, including some Group-quality events. From the various highlights we have carefully selected, we begin across the Irish Sea at Ballinrobe, which is hosting its biggest meet of the year this Monday.

Mon 26th: Ballinrobe’s McHale Raceday

The reason this particular fixture is such a big one for Ballinrobe is largely thanks to one race, the €100,000 McHale Mayo National Handicap Steeplechase. Coming in at just shy of three miles in distance, chasers take on 15 fences over what is expected to be good ground at the Irish course. Gordon Elliot, who won this contest in 2023 and 2024, threw six names into the hat as he attempts to defend his title, but has since withdrawn two.

Several other big trainers, such as Willie Mullins, Henry De Bromhead and Gavin Cromwell, all have names among the 25 that remain ahead of the final declarations, and it promises to be another exciting affair. An hour earlier than this race, there is the Mayo Handicap Hurdle, which is another of Ballinrobe’s leading events. The €30,000 contest regularly attracts a large field and has a habit of producing some long-odds winners.

Monday 26th: Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar

Although much of the focus is on off-track entertainment at Redcar for this bank holiday meet, it is also the day of one of their most cherished races, the Zetland Gold Cup.

Worth £40,000, this handicap race is not a major affair on the general racing calendar, but it is a huge event for a small course like Redcar. Horses with a maximum rating of 100 can compete, and it tends to attract a healthy field of runners close to the upper limit.

Thu 29th: Sandown Tops Midweek Action

Officially known as Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Evening, this meeting at Sandown is also sometimes called London’s Night At The Races. It is significant because it is Britain’s richest evening meeting, partly thanks to having two Group 3 races. The events are Henry II Stakes and Brigadier Gerard Stakes and the pair combine to make this a significant evening of racing.

Last year, both races were valued at £80,000 and due to their Group status, they are significant targets for trainers and owners alike. The pair have seen some notable winners in the past, but particularly the Brigadier Gerard Stakes. Even in more recent years the likes of Hukum, Lord North and Poet’s Word all feature on the roll of former champions.

Sat 31st: York’s Brontë Cup

As one of the country’s premier racecourses, there is rarely a ‘bad’ day of racing at York, and this is no exception. Tickets, for those that are left, are at an increased cost, but this is largely due to the post-race Taylor Swift tribute act rather than the horse races themselves. That said, this Saturday at York is also the day of the Brontë Cup. The recently introduced race, inaugurated in 2018, was introduced to improve the schedule for stayers in Europe.

Worth £100,000, the Group 3 race sees fillies and mares compete over a distance just short of one mile and six furlongs. Named to honour the Brontë sisters, it attracts some very capable female horses and ones you are likely to notice more of as the flat season progresses. Last year’s champion Term Of Endearment, for example, went on to win the Lillie Langtry Stakes following her success at York last year.