Left handed, flat. In essence, a very fair track, ideal for the long-striding galloper. In recent seasons, the field tends to come more down the centre of the track than has historically been the case, particularly if conditions are testing. The track was made into a circuit in 2005, and offers a straight 5f/6f track, while 7f races start on a chute.

Because they can start racing from a long way out at York, which is a big galloping track, sometimes the last one to challenge has an advantage. Some people think it suits front-runners, but more often than not the one in the lead will get picked off at around the 1f marker. There’s no doubt it’s a quality course, though, wide, with no ridges, lovely sweeping turns and no draw bias. It can become very testing when the ground gets soft - it is KnavesMIRE, after all - and then it really takes some getting.

View from the saddle: Jason Weaver