All you need to start your day including going from all the tracks

We are little more than 24 hours away from the richest raceday in the Flat racing calendar, Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot, featuring an all-star cast comprising 21 individual Group 1 winners.

There is nothing of that calibre running at Redcar, the day's only Flat card after Haydock was lost to the weather, but there is a rare appearance by top amateur Katie Walsh later in the card.

The best Flat race of the day is a Listed prize at Dundalk. That features David Griffiths's great servant Take Cover, who bids to win the Mercury Stakes for a second time.

Jumping is the main focus of the afternoon, with cards at Fakenham and Wincanton before the start of the evening entertainment when David Egan and rival Kieran Shoemark take their tussle for the apprentice crown to the penultimate day at Newcastle.

Going report

Redcar first race 1.30

Good to soft (GoingStick 7.7 on Friday at 9.30am)

Wincanton 1.40

Good, good to soft in places

Fakenham 2.05

Good (GoingStick 6.5 on Thursday at 8.30am)

Newcastle 4.40

Standard

Dundalk 5.30

Standard

What to back

Dave Orton gets to the heart of the action, selecting his best tip of the day.

What to read

If you are struggling to wait another 24 hours there is plenty of reading available to whet the appetite for Ascot, including the summary of key players fighting out for major honours.

But if your attention is already on the jumps sphere, find out how Gordon Elliot landed a sensational six winners at Punchestown on Thursday.

What to watch

Yet more Champions Day build-up here as the team discuss the entire meeting.

The best of Racing Post Sport

There is Friday night Premier League action, so Dan Childs provides his take on the clashbetween West Ham and Brighton. The pressure will be on the Hammers to deliver a win at the London Stadium and keep the pressure off manager Slaven Bilic.

Final thought

According to some forecasts, there is still a fair amount of rain possible at Ascot between now and the first race on Saturday but hopefully not enough to make organisers regret not switching to the inner track.