What's on this week: rejoice as racing returns at Cheltenham and Diego Velazquez bids to prove Classic credentials

Monday

Champions Day may be over but there is still top-class Flat action to come and entries for the Breeders' Cup close at 8pm on Monday, with a host of top British and Irish talent expected to appear at Santa Anita's two-day bonanza next month.

It is Windsor's free-to-enter season finale where the 5f handicap (2.55) is the highlight. The in-form Korker sets the standard on his Listed second at Ascot last time out and looks to continue Karl Burke's good run. There is also all-weather action at Wolverhampton and a seven-race jumps card at Plumpton.

Monday's Racing Post features 'The Big Jump Off', our unmissable 72-page supplement ahead of the new jumps season. Keep an eye out online for Saturday's entries, with top-quality cards to decipher at Doncaster and Cheltenham.

Tuesday

Entries for three of the biggest races this side of Christmas are revealed. Potential runners for the £250,000 Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on December 2 as well as the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham's November meeting will filter through on Tuesday afternooon.

On the racecourse, last season's six-time winner The Imposter will make his comeback in the 2m7f handicap hurdle (4.00) at Exeter. while further action over jumps can be enjoyed at Hereford. Flat action comes from Yarmouth and Wolverhampton.

Wednesday

The pre-entry fields for all the Breeders' Cup races will be revealed at 5pm on Wednesday.

Newmarket's two-year-old day has been the starting point for top-class performers such as Hurricane Lane, Mutasaabeq and Military Order in recent years, and there is top talent stacked through the entries. 

The mile novice (4.45) could include smart debut winner Feigning Madness taking on Godolphin's 2,800,000gns debutant Kalidasa and Lord Of Love, a newcomer out of French Oaks winner Star Of Seville. Zoustar's half-brother Trident and Strong Opinion, a Dubawi foal out of Persuasive, could clash on their debuts in the 7f novice (2.25).

There are also meetings at the Curragh and Kempton, while Fontwell hosts the jumps action.

At 2.30pm there will be a Future of Horseracing debate in Westminster Hall, with West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock among those involved.

Thursday

Top jumpers continue to return and Carlisle's 2m4f novice chase (3.55) could feature a Grade 1 rematch between Apple Away and Maximilian, who fought out the finish to the Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in April. Grey Dawning and Colonel Mustard are also entered.

Colonel Mustard: could run at CarlisleCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Ludlow's 3m novice handicap chase (4.05) looks a feverishly competitive heat with last-time-out winners Outlaw Peter, Autonomous Cloud and Hardy Fella all looking to take the next step towards bigger targets.

All eyes at Clonmel will be on Banprionsa, a 22-length point-to-point winner making her rules debut in the 2m3½f mares' maiden hurdle (2.35) for the Honeysuckle connections.

Friday

Jumps fans can rejoice as racing at Cheltenham returns. The October meeting's opening day will have a slightly different look this season with the Grade 2 Skybet Novices' Hurdle (3.55) moved to the fixture this year. 

The likes of Altior, Moon Racer and I Like To Move It won this early season Supreme trial when it was in its former November slot, and Friday's line-up could include exciting two-time winner Inthewaterside for Paul Nicholls, as well as Lookaway, a Grade 2 bumper winner at Aintree in 2022. Recent impressive winners Act Of Authority, Parada Away and Irish challenger Toto Too are other possible runners.

Doncaster kicks off its two-day Futurity Trophy meeting, but Saturday's Group 1 is not the only source of future Classic winners at the fixture. Oaks heroine Soul Sister won a division of the mile fillies' maiden last season (2.55) for John and Thady Gosden and the yard have three entered this season, including Godolphin's Juneberry, who William Buick is already set to ride. Beeley, from the family of Ask, could also run.

At Newbury, a brother to Savethelastdance could make his debut for Amo Racing in the mile novice (2.00), with Mr Hampstead sure to be the name on everyone's lips. There is also evening action at Wolverhampton and Dundalk.

Saturday

City Of Troy produced a mesmerising performance in the Dewhurst for Aidan O'Brien and on Saturday it is the turn of the highly-rated Diego Velazquez to attempt to rubber-stamp his name as a Classic contender in 2024 in the Kameko Futurity Trophy Stakes (2.45) at Doncaster.

Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia plundered this on route to 2,000 Guineas glory, while Auguste Rodin took this year's Derby after success at Doncaster as a two-year-old, and Diego Velazquez is already touted as a Derby prospect for 2024. Dancing Gemini is the most likely of those to stop him, with the Roger Teal-trained runner winning impressively at the track last time out.

Dancing Gemini: Futurity Trophy contenderCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Further quality Flat action comes at Newbury with the Group 3 Horris Hill, won by Mohaather in 2018, and St Simon Stakes on the card.

The two races appear on ITV4, as well as four from Cheltenham. The Masterson Holdings Hurdle (1.50) is restricted to four-year-olds and usually involves some of the best juvenile hurdlers from last season – 12 months ago it featured a clash between Pied Piper and Knight Salute. The 3m½f novice chase (4.10) has been won by Galvin and Black Corton in recent years so could be an intriguing watch once again. 

There is further jumps action at Kelso, while Chelmsford makes up the evening entertainment.

Sunday

Aintree opens up for the new season with the prestigious Old Roan Chase (2.00), where the ultra-talented My Drogo is due to make his comeback. The eight-year-old will be back at the scene of his nine-and-a-half length Grade 1 success in 2021, but he has not been seen since December of that year, having suffered an injury. His opposition could include Hitman, second in the Old Roan last season.

Racing will also come from Wincanton, where the Nick Embiricos Memorial Handicap Chase (3.29) is the feature.

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