The racing calendar would reach its busiest point of the year with the mid summer extravaganza of high class racing action. York would play host to two days of racing on the Knavesmire alongside the July Festival at Newmarket and "Super Saturday" which sees a blockbuster day of action from Newmarket, York, Ascot and Chester all on the same afternoon.

The John Smith's meeting is one of York's main focal points of the season and a high class handicap over ten furlongs which is widely appreciated by racing purists. Once known as the Magnet Cup, the contest is a fierce betting heat and in recent years, has been the source of a Group-class winner of the future. Elsewhere on the Saturday card, there would be a host of valuable and competitive handicaps along with the Listed sprint, the City Walls Stakes, and the Group Three Silver Cup for the stayers.  Twenty-four hours earlier, more pattern level racing would take place with the Summer Stakes for fillies and mares over six furlongs, more tricky handicaps and a novice contest which also has a habit of producing stars of the future.