Race One: The John Smith's Nursery Handicap - Class Four - 2-Y-O Only - Six Furlongs - Runners:

Race Two: The John Smith's Racing Handicap - Class Two - One Mile - Runners:

Race Three: The John Smith's City Walls Stakes - Listed Race - Five Furlongs - Runners:
The action would begin to heat up on the track as the next ninety minutes at York would provide quality and excitement in equal measures. The first of the pattern races, the City Walls Stakes, would take place over the flying five furlongs, keeping in trend with the biggest race of the day - Newmarket's July Cup over six furlongs. Since its transfer to York in 2011 from Chester, this listed race has cemented its place on the Knavesmire's calendar and is often won by a high class sprinter. It has been the bridge to the next level for high class handicappers such as Copper Knight, Hamish McGonagall and Mr Lupton, but it has also served as a trial for the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes over course and distance in a month's time. Borderlescott, Marsha, Jwala and Winter Power have all completed the famous double, so this year's result could have a bearing on the Ebor Festival's showpiece. Kevin Ryan's five year old Washington Heights would take advantage of a drop in class to run away with the prize last year in a field that has achieved plenty since then.

Race Four: The John Smith's Cup Heritage Handicap - Class Two - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Runners:

After the speedsters would come the highlight of the day; the 62nd running of the John Smith's Cup Handicap. This ten furlong heritage handicap is seen as one of the biggest betting heats of the entire summer and remains as a fiercely contested as it was for the first running in 1960. Some of horse racing's biggest stables have landed this famous prize, from Henry Cecil to Dick Hern, Aidan O'Brien to Sir Michael Stoute and Andrew Balding to Sir Mark Prescott. With a raise in prize money, the John Smith's Cup is an even more lucrative contest which leads to higher quality horses to contest it. Since 2010, the likes of Wigmore Hall, Euchen Glen, Anmaat and Enfjaar have all won this race before going on to bigger things in pattern company. Twelve months ago, the Andrew Balding stable would win this race for the third time since 2019 as Fox Legacy won with a bit in hand before finishing his season with a sixth in the Group One Champions Stakes at Ascot.
This year's renewal looked to be as hot as ever with some regular names at this level taking on some unexposed up and comers who could be better than this level. The weights would be headed by a former winner, the Roger Varian-trained Enfjaar. The six year old was a stylish winner of this race in 2024 and has made a solid impression at the next level with a string of placed efforts in listed races. This would be a tougher ask with top weight though. Andrew Balding has an enviable recent record in this race and the first of his runners would be Royal Playwright. The four year old colt is bred to be high class, but has been unable to break through in Group company of late. He looked in need of the run when only fifth in a Group Three at Epsom last month. The big spending Wathnan Racing operation had a good Royal Ascot meeting and would look to tick off this prize for the first time with the American-bred David Of Athens. Hamad al Jehani's four year old would be an interesting runner as a Group Three winner, but this will be his first ever race on turf. Karl Burke has won the Cambridgeshire Handicap twice in recent seasons and would look to land this famous handicap for the first time since 1999. He would be represented by Bolster, a former course and distance and listed race winner. The six year old struggled in pattern races last year and didn't handle soft ground at Epsom on his seasonal comeback. There would be an eye-catching entry here as James Owen saddled Ambiente Friendly, the runner up in the 2024 Epsom Derby. The gelding's form has tailed off since then and was even tried over hurdles, but went off too quickly at Royal Ascot last time out. A second runner for the Andrew Balding stable would be High Stock, who hasn't kicked on from a promising start to his career. After a second in listed company last year, he then struggled for a while but showed potential for better on his latest run at Goodwood when fifth in another listed race. He would be joined by stablemate Respond, who has been working through the ranks of late. The four year old has been progressive, winning twice including by a long way at Chester in May, but bumped into the exciting Sallaal at Epsom on his latest start. The King and Queen would look for a famous victory in this race with their gelding Warrant Holder. John and Thady Gosden's four year old won impressively over course and distance to book his place here and was agonisingly denied at Royal Ascot over a slightly longer trip. A second runner for the Wathnan operation would be Archivist, who is looking to improve on his third in this race last year. The four year old has won over a mile, but was outdone by the draw at Royal Ascot in the Royal Hunt Cup last month. William Haggas is another trainer with recent winning history in this race and he would saddle the returning Yabher in this contest. The four year old landed a valuable contest at the end of last season and looked even better when winning by a long way at Goodwood when last seen in April. A second runner for the Newmarket yard would be Crown Of Oaks, who is another to have climbed the ladder last year. After winning twice at this trip, the four year old should his quality to win the Balmoral Handicap over a mile when last seen on Champions Day in October. Deira Mile is another to have contested the Epsom Derby earlier in his career when fourth in 2024, but now finds himself at the Jess Bedi stable. The five year old has run in tough Group races over longer distances, so this would be a more realistic race to target. Karl Burke would also be represented by the flashy chestnut Thunder Run. The five year old has a good record here and was sixth in this race last year. He returned to form when second over course and distance in May, but was down the field in the Hunt Cup last time. Treble Tee looked set to make into a classy handicapper on the evidence of last season as the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained four year old finished sixth in the Cambridgeshire Handicap last summer. He would disappoint in a listed race at Doncaster when fifth and this is his first race since that day in March. A second runner to carry the Mohammed Obaid silks for the Karl Burke stable would be Botanical. He is another former winner at York and finished second in this race in 2024. He has worked his way back down the ratings and has run well in a couple of handicaps this season. Jack Channon has landed high quality handicaps already this season and would look to add another with the likeable veteran Certain Lad. Now a ten year old, the gelding has good form at York and is a Group race winner at his best. He would be a very popular winner if he was to win here. Ed Bethell is a trainer who is excellent at targeting races and he has lined up this race for the improving Danger Bay. The four year old flopped on his last visit to York, but looked much better when winning the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar on his return to action in May. George Boughey has taken a seat at the highest table in racing this year and is aiming for a first John Smith's Cup win with Hopewell Rock. The lightly raced four year old has progressed gradually, but could only manage a midfield finish at Royal Ascot and now drops down in trip. Another former Group race winner in the field would be Terry Kent's Erzindjan. The classy eight year old needs a lot to go right for him, but finished fourth in this race last year. After winning at Newmarket and a good run at Ascot, he will be finishing strongly once again. Hand Of God looked to have the world at his feet when winning a big handicap at Royal Ascot a few years ago, but Harry Charlton's five year old spent some time in the doldrums. He was a smart winner at Newbury, but has gone back up in the ratings. Yet another in the Wathnan silks would be the four year old Quai de Bethune, who was successful at Royal Ascot last season. Hamad al Jehani's four year old weakened away on his return at Epsom in a similar contest to this one. Another well bred four year old in the field would be the John and Thady Gosden-trained Gamrai. The gelding won very nicely at Kempton on his seasonal debut, but has been denied by Daiquiri Bay on his last two starts - the latest coming at Royal Ascot over a much longer distance to this race. Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore have trained Cheltenham winners and Grand National winners, but they hoped to land this big Flat prize with the talented Dain Ma Nut In. The game front runner won twice at York last yer, including at the Ebor Festival, before adding another win out in Bahrain. He will likely give it another go on this first appearance since February. Also from the Newmarket based stable of George Boughey would be El Burhan. The four year old endured a stop-start season last year, but has run with credit in two starts this year at Kempton and Chester behind reopposing rivals. Simon and Ed Crisford's Swing Vote would be another runner to bring international form to the table. The six year old has done most of his recent running in Dubai where he won a Group Three, but made a belated return to turf when finishing mid-rank in the Hunt Cup last time at Ascot. The relatively lightly raced Scoville was well fancied for the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot recently and William Haggas's four year old ran well for a very long way, setting the pace and weakening into the minor placings so steps back up in trip here. Another runner for the Andrew Balding stable would be Regal Ulixes, who arrives here on the back of an excellent third at Royal Ascot in the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap, showing he is capable of performing on turf as well as the all-weather. William Haggas's Eternal Force has shown the potential to win a big handicap this year after progressing nicely at the end of last season with two wins. He was unable to justify support in the Lincoln, but was narrowly denied at Hamilton on his latest start. Ian Williams is a shrewd trainer when it comes to handicappers and would be represented by the formerly French-trained Ozat. The five year old has caught the eye on a few occasions, most recently when eighth in the Hunt Cup, finishing strongly. Tom Dascombe's runner here would be the seven year old Auld Toon Loon. He ran very poorly in this race last year, but went on to win next time out at Windsor. This year, the gelding has shown inconsistent form but took third at Windsor two starts ago. 

Race Five: The John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes - Group Three - One Mile, Six Furlongs - Runners:

After the drama and excitement of the John Smith's Cup, the quality would continue with the stayers taking to the stage. The Group Three Silver Cup was another race to be born at a different venue as it started out at Lingfield until 1990. It was run as a handicap until eleven years ago where it has been promoted to Group status ever since. In the space of ten seasons, there have been some brilliant winners of this race, the future Coronation Cup winner Hukum, a subsequent Melbourne Cup winner in Without A Fight and the very popular and tough Hamish. Last year, this race would go the way of an equally tough stayer in the form of Al Qareem, who made all for a dominant success - his second at York of the summer.

Race Six: The John Smith's Stayers' Handicap - Class Four - Two Miles - Runners: