Racing At York – John Smith's Meeting

After the Ebor and Dante Meetings the two day John Smith's card is one of the most important in York's season. This year the meeting will be held on Friday July 8th and Saturday July 9th – the first day of the meeting offers a great start to the weekend and the highlight of the day is the Group 3 Summer Stakes for fillies and mares over the straight six furlongs. Last season the race was won in good style by Rose Blossom who was confirming her liking for the course with her second victory there in 2010. Smartly away as usual she made all in very game fashion to reward punters with an 8/1 success, incidentally the same price as she was when she won at the Dante Meeting over the shorter 5F trip.

Unfortunately she couldn't emulate those efforts in better company later in the year finishing a respectable fifth in the Group 1 Nunthorpe at the Ebor Meeting. If she stays in training this year she will be a filly to watch in the lesser Group races on the Knavesmire and those looking at the York races betting should remember this.
The Saturday of the John Smith's meeting is highlighted by the handicap of that name – first run in 1960; this year will see the 52nd running of the race. Over the years the race has produced plenty of decent horses and given rise to those which have gone on to graduate to better company in Group races.

Last year's winner Wigmore Hall is no exception, striking a blow for the three-year-old generation which were very successful in the race around the Millenium. Since then they have made little impact although they can hardly say that they have been well represented with just five runners in the last six years. Wigmore Hall put that right though, he dominated the betting with the year older Imposing, if the latter was slightly stronger in the betting it was Wigmore Hall who was stronger in the race holding off twice his age Kings Gambit by a short-head. Like many winners of this race Wigmore Hall is now plying his trade in Group Company and currently has engagements in Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore this year.

The John Smith's Meeting is a mid-Summer highlight at York with two days of top-class racing to enjoy. The support of the Tadcaster brewer makes this the longest running sponsorship on the flat anywhere in the world and the event is one of Yorkshire's finest race days in July.