York eyes £5m target at Charity Day event

Last year's charity weekend – the Eve of Racing Dinner with its traditional auction coming tomorrow – raised 242,000, taking the total over the 39 years to 4,719,000 and bringing the magic 5m within range.

Highlight of the meeting is the 100,000 Reg Griffin Memorial Trophy, a six-furlong Heritage Handicap named in honour of the founder of Charity Day which has been won in the past by top-class sprinters like Cadeaux Genereux and Sheikh Albadou.

Of the other contests on the seven-race card – which offers total prize-money of over 200,000 – several carry the names of long-standing supporters of the day: the Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Handicap, the Leonard Sainer EBF Maiden Stakes , the Charles Henry Memorial Handicap and the Michael Sobell Maiden Stakes.

Another highlight is the 22nd running of the Queen Mother's Cup, Britain's richest race for lady amateur riders and a contest won in the past by the Princess Royal with the traditional jockey's prize being her own weight in Pol Roger Champagne.

And when the action on the turf is over, race-goers will be able to relax before enjoying coverage of the England v United States match on the giant screen.

They will already have made their own contribution to charity with 40 per cent of their entry charge going straight to the fund, which in the past has benefitted local charities including York Against Cancer and St Leonard's Hospice.

William Derby, York's chief executive and clerk of the course, said: "We are really looking forward to a fabulous day and it would be wonderful to reach that 5m target.

"There is always a great buzz about Charity Day, which is the biggest event of its kind in British racing, and there will the extra attraction this year of watching our footballers in action in South Africa."