Trainer David O’Meara is gearing up for a busy week at Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival

O’Meara, who is based at Upper Helmsley was the leading trainer at last year’s event, which is sponsored by Leeds-based Sky Bet and is looking forward to pitting his wits against rivals across the eight host courses.

He said: “It’s always a very busy week for us, with lots of Yorkshire owners who are all keen on running their horses in the county and as many of them that are fit and suitable to run will be busy.

“In terms of the leading trainer of the week title, it’s kind of something you don’t really think about until you’re half-way through and then if you’re close to winning you start to take notice.

“We’re all involved in this sport because we like racing and you wouldn’t be involved if you weren’t keen on winning!”

“There’s definitely more of a buzz around the racecourses during the festival week and we’re looking forward to being there again,” said O’Meara, who has just passed 50 winners for the year.

Among the horses spotted on his gallops were recent Royal Ascot winner Get Shirty and Maria Branwell who was third in the Queen Mary Stakes at the same meeting.

Jockey Danny Tudhope, who was victorious aboard Get Shirty - one of three winners for the Scot at the Royal meeting - and partnered him on the O’Meara gallops, is another looking forward to the Summer Festival week.

He said: “There’s a great atmosphere and it’s good to be in action at all the local courses, close to home.

It’s hard to aim for the leading jockey of the week title, as jockeys are not always in control of where they are riding but it’s a nice thing to win if we can.”

During the festival, jockeys will be able to warm up for their rides on the track with a game of ‘Paddock and Chips’ in the parade ring before racing starts.

The football skills competition sees the jockeys scoring points by chipping footballs into a target and Tudhope was runner -up in 2019,

“My football skills haven’t improved since last year, but I’ll try and get some practice in before the week starts,” he admitted.

Another jockey who is new to the Summer Festival is Jason Watson.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the week.

There’s a different vibe up here to down south and people enjoy their racing so much.

Being attached to David’s is a massive help, he’s a highly established trainer up north and down south and has a very good team to really go to war.”

The Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival gets underway at Ripon on Saturday and concludes at Pontefract on July 24.

Festival Dates: July 16 - Ripon, Doncaster (evening); 17 - Redcar; 18- Beverley (evening); 20 Catterick; 21 - Doncaster (evening); 22 - Thirsk, York (evening); July 23 York; 24 - Pontefract.

Malton’s Richard Fahey retains faith in Perfect Power despite the Commonwealth Cup winner failing to make an impact in the July Cup.

The three-year-old was taking on his elders for the first time at Newmarket yet never threatened to get involved, finishing seventh behind Alcohol Free.

“Perfect Power came out of the Darley July Cup all right,” Fahey told www.sportinglife.com.

“He recovered very quickly - but in the race itself he never got firing at all. There’s a turbo engine there and he never got to engage it at Newmarket.

“He’ll have a short break and there are plenty of races for him.

“We’ve lost no faith in the horse. He’ll be back.”