Lull before Classic storm
With the Vodafone Derby and Oaks just over a week away, the preceding few days are notably quiet as the top horses are being saved either for Epsom or the forthcoming Royal Ascot at York meeting.
But racing must go on and there are plenty of opportunities to get winners on the board.
Saturday's biggest meetings are at Musselburgh and Goodwood, with the latter stepping in to hold Kempton's meeting while the Sunbury venue installs its new all-weather facility.
Picturesque Goodwood plays host to the Achilles Stakes, now run under its new Empire Property Group title, which is a Listed five-furlong dash, sure to attract some decent sprinters and has been won by popular characters like The Trader and Peruvian Chief in recent years.
Also on the card is the Heron Stakes, a Listed race over a mile which often proves a launch pad for lightly-raced three-year-olds heading for better things.
The quality of racing at Musselburgh improves year after year and the main event will be the £60,000 (€87,000) Victor Chandler Scottish Sprint Cup as well as several other valuable handicaps.
Doncaster also holds a fair card on Saturday, while there is informative and competitive Sunday action at Newmarket.
The midweek fare is nothing to write home about on the Flat, with the exception perhaps of the usual quality Monday night Windsor meeting, which features a Listed race this time in the Telectronics Systems Leisure Stakes.
There is a full jumping programme again, with the highlight being the return of Cartmel for evening fixtures on Wednesday and Saturday.
Despite offering low-grade action, the track always attracts racegoers by their droves, many of whom queue for aeons to get in.
Hopefully Saturday's punters will offer a good reception for the equine servants of 10 years and above who line up for the Burlington Slate Cartmel Grand Veterans National.
Fixtures (Flat in capitals)
Monday: BEVERLEY, CARLISLE, LEICESTER, THIRSK (evening), WINDSOR (evening)
Tuesday LINGFIELD, NOTTINGHAM, RIPON, Sedgefield (evening), Worcester (evening)
Wednesday: Cartmel, Fontwell, LINGFIELD, NEWMARKET (evening), RIPON (evening)
Thursday: AYR, BATH, Huntingdon (evening), Newton Abbot, Wetherby (evening)
Friday: BRIGHTON, CATTERICK, PONTEFRACT (evening), Towcester (evening), WOLVERHAMPTON
Saturday: Cartmel (evening), DONCASTER (CH4), GOODWOOD (CH4), Hexham, LINGFIELD (evening), MUSSELBURGH (CH4)
Sunday: Fontwell, NEWMARKET, Uttoxeter
