RACEGOERS and real ale lovers are in for a treat during Ascot’s Autumn Racing Weekend.

The two-day meeting this Friday and Saturday will run alongside the Ascot Beer Festival at the Berkshire track.

Friday’s meeting includes the Listed LondonMetric Noel Murless Stakes which is run over a mile and six furlongs.

The Totescoop6 Challenge Cup, the UK’s joint most valuable seven-furlong handicap at £180,000, is the big betting race on a quality Flat card on Saturday.

But ante-post favourite Morando was missing from Monday’s confirmations leading to a shake-up inthe betting.

The three-year-old had been as low as 5-1 with some bookmakers and was last seen winning his third race on the trot at Ayr this month.

His trainer, Roger Varian, still boasts a strong contender in Saturday’s main race in Certificate, winner of the £100,000 Goodwood Revival Stakes last month.

The Cheveley Park Stud five-year-old is joined on 9st 8lb by Librisa Breeze, who won the Gigaset International Stakes over course and distance in July.

Only last year’s winner Buckstay is allocated more weight with 9st 9lb.

John Godsen-trained colt Castle Harbour (5-1) is now the favourite after winning on his first two starts at Newmarket and York. He then came sixth when sent off favourite for the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.

Meanwhile, Dandy Nicholls is thought to be favouring Ascot over Redcar this weekend for in-form sprinter Kimberella.

The six-year-old went up to a career-high mark of 109 after breaking the track record at Ripon on Saturday, just a week after finishing fifth in the Ayr Gold Cup.

He has been entered in the Listed totescoop6 EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes at Redcar this Saturday, but Nicholls is leaning towards the Camra 10th Anniversary Rous Stakes at Ascot on the same afternoon.

“He’ll run somewhere this weekend given the form he’s in, and he’ll probably go to Ascot,” said Nicholls earlier this week.

The beer festival includes more than 280 real ales, ciders and perries. New to this year’s festival, the Ascot Bier Haus will be opening its doors to bring the Oktoberfest to Ascot.

Gates open at 11am on both days, with the first race scheduled to start at 2pm.

For tickets go to www.ascot.co.uk