Paul Hanagan: Enforced lay-off is a chance to prepare for lucrative Ebor Festival

York hosts its annual Ebor Festival next week.

Richard Fahey loves to have runners and winners at York and, as always, a very strong team of horses will head to Knavesmire from Wednesday.

With record prize-money and fabulous facilities for professionals and spectators alike – as befits Britain’s racecourse of the year – the four days are superb.

Wednesday has a £1m race, the richest ever run at York, with the Juddmonte International which looks likely to include QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Churchill, stepping up to ten furlongs for the first time.

It will be a Royal occasion with HRH The Duke of York, Patron of the racecourse, making the presentation to the winner.

I wish we had a runner in the Juddmonte, but the Musley Bank stables will be well represented in plenty of the other 24 races.

Skipton-born William Haggas has been in top form at York with 11 winners already, so it will be hard for another trainer to now land the Charles Clinkard Trophy. It’s tighter amongst us riders, with David Allan leading the field on five.

I’m on three, so I aim to close that gap, as we remember journalist, Ray Gilpin, in the Jockey’s race.

It’s currently my turn to relish a short holiday, one that was enforced by the stewards though.

However, it’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the family.

I am recharging my batteries and will be raring to go again when the starting stalls fly open at York.

Life goes on at Musley Bank and Ripon’s biggest meeting of the year tomorrow – Great St Wilfrid Day – whets the appetite for what will follow next week at York.

The yard has four engaged in the feature six-furlong contest in a maximum field of 20.

It’s a race Richard Fahey has won twice in the last four years.

Growl is ridden by Ebor winning rider, Adam McNamara, who lifts a useful three pounds off the back of the top weight. I very much like this horse; though I did have some problems in the stalls at Royal Ascot.

He ran really well to be fourth in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood – in fact I thought he was going to win.

He’s in great form and has an excellent chance.

Eastern Impact is an old favourite at the yard.

His best run this year was when runner-up in a handicap at the Guineas Festival at Newmarket.

George Bowen is a typical sprinter and is very good on his day.

Right Touch is bidding to get in front for the first time this season for part-owner Nicholas Wrigley, the former chairman of York Racecourse, who won the Great St Wilfrid with Don’t Touch in 2015.

After that the focus for me and a host of other jockeys turns to winning some of that whopping £4.4m in prize money which is on offer – or maybe celebrating a winner with York’s famously low priced fizz!

The next racing at York is the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival between Wednesday 23 and Saturday 26 August. Find out more about York and book tickets at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk