YORK’S FINALE CATERS FOR EVERYONE

The traditional two-day October Meeting on Friday and Saturday (October 6 & 7) is set to bring down the curtain on another successful season at York.

On Saturday, racegoers, as well as enjoying a quality seven-race programme will also be able to see England's 2008 European Championship Qualifying match against Macedonia 'live' on the giant screens when the game kicks off at 5-00 p.m. In the last decade, England have played on ten occasions which have coincided with a York raceday and they boast an impressive record, having recorded seven victories and just one defeat!

Racing on Friday begins at 2-20 p.m. and features the £18,000 TSG Stakes, a handicap contest for highly-rated milers supported for the second year by The TSG Group, a provider of IT services to businesses throughout the UK. Chartered accountants, Garbutt & Elliott sponsor a handicap race over one mile and a quarter for the sixth year, while the afternoon's Nursery Handicap for two-year-olds is also supported for the sixth time by the West Yorkshire-based specialist printers, Acorn Web Offset. Handicap sprinters line up for The Parsonage Country House Hotel Stakes (five furlongs); regular sponsors, Sawfish Software of York extended their support to this meeting by putting their name to a contest for maiden two-year-olds which is also supported by The European Breeders Fund.

Friday's card concludes with The Betfair Apprentice Training Series Final, the culmination of a special series for apprentice riders held throughout the UK. The leading rider of the Series will receive a working holiday for one month with one of South Africa's leading trainers, Michael de Kok.

The action on Saturday starts at 2-05 p.m. with The Newton Investment Management Rockingham Stakes, a £25,000 Listed race for precocious two-year-olds, won last year by Balthazaar's Gift, trained at Hambleton near Thirsk by Kevin Ryan, who went on to claim a Group 2 race in France. Saturday's principal race is Coral Sprint Trophy, one of Britain's top autumnal sprint contests. This prestigious handicap contest over six furlongs now boasts record prize money of £35,000 and has been sponsored by leading bookmakers Coral since 1979. Last year's winner, Borderlescott, trained near Wetherby by Robin Bastiman, has proved himself a leading sprinter this season, distinguishing himself in several races, including a victory in The Stewards' Cup at 'Glorious' Goodwood and just going down to a length defeat in the recent Ayr Gold Cup.

The York-based Shepherd Building Group return to the Knavesmire to support the longest race of the meeting – a handicap contest for stayers over two and a quarter miles which brings into play the 'new' bend at York, created for last year's Royal Ascot at York meeting. Premium drinks brand, Woodford Bourbon sponsor for the first time at York, supporting a handicap race over nine furlongs; The Shirley Heights Syndicate and The European Breeders Fund once again combine to support a race for maiden two-year-olds. Shirley Heights was the dual English and Irish Derby winner of 1978, who also won the totesport Dante Stakes at York prior to his Derby successes at Epsom and The Curragh, in the colours of former York chairman, Lord Halifax. One mile and a quarter is the distance in the £15,000 Coral "Bookmaker of the year" Conditions Stakes.

The concluding race on Saturday, The Coldstream Guards Association Handicap Stakes is held over one mile and threequarters and immediately following the race, the Band of The Coldstream Guards will provide the musical finale to the season from the winners' enclosure.

Four large screens will show even more of the action, while the popular and informative 'Punters Panel' will preview racing on both days from the winners' podium.

Going into York's last meeting of 2006, Malton-based Richard Fahey leads the way in the race for The Minster Jaguar Trophy presented to the top trainer of the season at York; Fahey has registered seven winners on the Knavesmire this term, one more than fellow Yorkshire-based trainer, Mark Johnston. With his three victories on Ladbrokes St. Leger Day last month, including partnering Sixties Icon to win the famous Classic race, Frankie Dettori has leapt to the head of affairs in The Moss Bros Jockeys' Championship at York, having having recorded an impressive eight winners at the course so far this year.

It all promises a resounding climax to York's 2006 campaign.