Great Yarmouth racecourse's three-day £240,000 Eastern Festival gets under way this afternoon.

Wednesday sees the course's top race of the year, the £40,000 John Musker Fillies Stakes, but the action promises to be top quality on all three days.

'The Festival is the season's highlight with 15,000 visitors expected,' said Glenn Tubby, the course's executive director. 'Ticket sales are up on last year so it is sure to bring extra visitors to the town which is good for the local economy.

'The Ladies Day is on Thursday and we are delighted to work with intu Chapelfield which has sponsored prizes for the best dressed ladies.

'In addition, the £20,000 Bath Summer Staying Series Final has been transferred to add an extra race to Thursday's card.'

Feature race today is the £15,000 Dan Hague Bookmaker Handicap at 3.05pm for which five go over the 11-furlong trip.

Favourite is Godolphin's Saeed Bin Suroor trained High End, a three-year-old gelding unbeaten in three starts, the latest at Epsom at the end of August. David Egan claims a three-pound allowance in the saddle.

Zack Mayo, under Silvestre de Sousa for trainer Charlie McBride, won at Ripon a fortnight ago while another last time winner is reigning champion jockey Jim Crowley's mount, Opinionate, for Amanda Perrett.

A dozen two-year-olds, including five debutants, go in the 2pm opener over six furlongs. Favourite will be the unraced Invincible Spirit colt Mutaaqeb under Crowley for Owen Burrows while one with experience is the mount of Ryan Moore, fresh from his first St Leger success on Saturday. His ride, Mashaheer, from the William Haggas stable, was sixth at Newmarket three weeks ago.

The 2.35pm nursery mile could go to Ed Walker's Simpson, under Kieren Shoemark, the gelding a winner at Windsor a fortnight ago.

Biggest line-up is for the 3.40pm handicap in which Seaborn has a first run for trainer Tim Vaughan while the 4.10pm six-furlong maiden could go to Moore and Haggas with One Master, third on debut at Doncaster.

Shoemark and trainer Roger Charlton send out grey gelding Blazed in the 4.45pm six-furlong handicap while the five-furlong dash finale at 5.15pm could go to Fanshawe and claiming jockey Daniel Muscutt with Acclamation filly, Magical Dreamer.