What's on this week: building up to the Irish Oaks at the Curragh and Newbury's Super Sprint

Monday

Scotland's premier Flat race comes into focus at the start of the week with Ayr staging its Gold Cup Trial (3.28), in which progressive filly Alfa Kellenic seeks a fourth win in a row. Her rivals include Aberama Gold, who finished fifth in the race last year before going on to win the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood.

It is the start of another Killarney festival, which is staged over five days, while Downpatrick, Windsor and Wolverhampton complete the day's action.

Entries for Saturday's action in Britain will be revealed and the Weatherbys Super Sprint, which has 209 entered currently, will be whittled down at the confirmation stage.

Tuesday

Confirmations for Saturday's Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.40) at the Curragh will be revealed at Tuesday lunchtime when the Ballydoyle challenge could be headed by Ribblesdale winner Port Fairy.

On a day full of Flat action, afternoon meetings at Beverley and Nottingham are followed by Killarney and Kempton in the evening, while the Listed Prix Hubert Baguenault de Puchesse (4.18) at Vichy has attracted interest from Britain in the shape of the Owen Burrows-trained So Moonstruck.

Tom Segal shares his ante-post selections for the St Leger in Wednesday's Racing Post, which is available to members online on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday

Killarney's seven-race evening fixtures is headlined by a Listed race for fillies and mares (6.50), which has drawn entries from last year's winning trainer Joseph O'Brien.

Pickanumber, winner of the Swinton Hurdle in May by 15½ lengths for Olly Murphy, is set for his first start since moving to America in the Grade 1 handicap hurdle (6.10) at Saratoga.

Pickanumber: impressive Swinton Hurdle winner starts his career in the USCredit: John Grossick

The action in Britain is made up of Thirsk, Bath and Uttoxeter in the afternoon, followed by Yarmouth and Ffos Las in the evening.

Thursday

Leopardstown begins a big few days in Ireland by staging the Group 3 Meld Stakes (6.50), for which Aidan O'Brien's entries for a race he won with Japan in 2021 are headed by Diego Velazquez.

British hopes of a first Meld victory since Decorated Knight scored for Roger Charlton in 2016 could rest with the Jack Channon-trained Certain Lad, who won a Listed race in France last time.

Killarney switches to the jumps, while racing also takes place at Hamilton, Chepstow, Leicester, Epsom and Worcester.

Friday

The weekend starts in earnest with Newbury's two-day meeting having a proven track record of producing stars of the future.

The Listed Rose Bowl Stakes (4.10) for two-year-olds, won by Limato ten years ago, looks the likely destination for Coventry sixth Symbol Of Honour, with William Buick already booked to ride the Godolphin juvenile.

The feast of racing also includes Haydock, which stages its first fixture since the problems with the track on Old Newton Cup day, as well as Newmarket, Nottingham, Hamilton and Pontefract. It's the final day at Killarney, while Down Royal takes place in the evening.

At 9pm, the first episode of ITV1's new primetime jump racing docuseries, Champions: Full Gallop, will be broadcast. It tells the story of the 2023-24 jumps season and aims to emulate the success of previous sports programmes such as F1's Drive To Survive.

Saturday

A Classic day at the Curragh with the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.40) contested by the best three-year-old fillies in Europe. Aidan O'Brien and Willie Mullins hold leading claims with Port Fairy and Lope De Lilas, and they could be joined by runners from Britain and France.

Port Fairy: Ribblesdale Stakes winner set for the Irish Oaks on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

There are two other Group races at the Curragh, the Castle Sapphire Stakes (3.05) and Comer Group International Curragh Cup (4.15), while Newbury's highest-quality race is the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes.

The feature at Newbury, however, is the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint (3.35), which is only open to horses who cost £65,000 or less at the sales with runners weighted on their sale price.

It is also the biggest day of the summer jumps in Britain with Market Rasen staging its Summer Plate (3.15) fixture, which also includes the Summer Hurdle (2.40), while Ripon, Cartmel, Newmarket, Doncaster and Haydock complete the action.

Sunday

The spotlight shines on the second day of the Curragh's meeting, with the Group 2 Romanised Minstrel Stakes (3.15) and Group 3 Al Shira'aa Racing Meadow Court Stakes (4.20) topping the bill.

There is also jumps action at Stratford and Newton Abbot and Flat racing from Redcar.

Premier meetings

Saturday Newbury and Market Rasen

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