What's on this week: all eyes on Ascot for a star-studded King George

Monday

It's a quiet start to the week as Beverley and Windsor were forced to cancel their fixtures after the Met Office issued a red weather warning for extreme heat as temperatures were expected to hit 40C.

The two British meetings given the green light are Ayr, which features the Ayr Gold Cup trial (4.10) and Cartmel, which has brought racing forward to a noon start and where Tonto's Spirit (2.05) looks to become the most successful horse at the track. Action from Ireland comes from Ballinrobe's Flat meeting.

Tonto's Spirit looks for eight win at CartmelCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Tuesday

Just as the day before, cancellations rule the day with three out of the five meetings – Southwell, Chelmsford and Wolverhampton – called off.

The lone afternoon action comes from Musselburgh, which provides a seven-race Flat card. Evening action comes from Ireland where Ballinrobe offers an eight-race jumps card.

Wednesday

As temperatures start to become more manageable, seven racecourses host meetings across Britain and Ireland. All-weather action from Lingfield and Southwell run alongside Catterick during the afternoon.

Evening action is at Limerick, Sandown, Leicester and Naas, which hosts two Listed races – Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes (6.30) and the Marwell Stakes (7.00). Elsewhere Nico de Boinville heads to the US to keep the ride on the ex-Nicky Henderson-trained Pistol Whipped in the A P Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Stakes (6.05) at Saratoga.

Nico de Boinville heads to the US as he keeps the ride on Pistol WhippedCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Thursday

Sandown provides the best racing in the afternoon with the feature being the Listed Star Stakes (2.25) for two-year-olds which was won last year by impressive Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner Inspiral.

Once-raced, first-time-out winners Bet Me and Dance In The Grass both hold entries for the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes and Espionne is entered in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes. The seven-race card is flanked by action from Worcester and Yarmouth.

British evening racing comes from Doncaster and Newbury while Limerick and Leopardstown provide the action from Ireland. The latter stages two Group 3s for juveniles, the Silver Flash Stakes (6.00), which Aidan O'Brien took with subsequent Oaks heroine Love in 2019, and the Tyros Stakes (6.30). O'Brien has won the last eight runnings, including in 2018 with Anthony Van Dyck, who went on to win the Derby.

Aidan O'Brien is prolific in the Group 3 Tyros StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Friday

The first day of the King George meeting at Ascot provides a quality seven-race card, kicking off with the Crocker Bulteel maiden (1.55) which Richard Hannon has won six times in the last seven years. He has Signcastle City, who recorded a useful RPR on his Newbury debut. Other afternoon action comes from Uttoxeter and Thirsk.

York hosts a seven-race evening card featuring the Listed Lyric Fillies' Stakes (7.25), which John Gosden has won twice in the last three years. He will be represented by the unbeaten Judith, while Karl Burke looks to have a good chance as four-timer seeking Poptronic looks likely to run. Newmarket and Chepstow also provide evening action.

Saturday

All eyes will be drawn to Ascot for the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.35) which is set to feature an enthralling clash between exciting three-year-olds and some top-class older horses.

Comfortable Irish Derby winner Westover, who heads the market, and unlucky Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn go for the younger horses against hardened, top-level performers such as the Arc winner Torquator Tasso, Dubai Sheema Classic winner Mishriff and recent Royal Ascot winner Broome.

Emily Upjohn looks for redemption following unlucky Epsom runCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The seven-race card also features the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes (4.10) and a pair of Group 3s, the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes (1.50) and the Longines Valiant Stakes (2.25). There is also Group 2 action at York with the Sky Bet York Stakes (3.15).

Other action comes from Newmarket and on the all-weather at Newcastle during the afternoon with meetings at Salisbury and Lingfield bringing the day to a close.

Sunday

The week draws to a close with meetings at three British tracks. Pontefract hosts a seven-race card, featuring the Listed Pomfret Stakes, while an all-weather meeting from Chelmsford, which features a Class 2 6f handicap, provides the other Flat action with jumps action at Uttoxeter.

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