Horse racing enthusiasts may have spotted a familiar name on the race card at Ascot today.

Of the six races on today's card, two are sponsored by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home after a generous supporter stumped up more than £40,000 in prize money and provided a box for staff at the Berkshire-based course..

At 3pm, the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Paradise Stakes will be run over a mile and will feature famous jockeys such as Richard Hughes, William Buick, Kieron Fallon and Hayley Turner.

The favourite is Stipulate, ridden by the legendary Frankel's jockey Tom Queally, with odds of 7-2.

However, the Wandsworth Guardian is tipping Fencing, at odds of 4-1, to triumph after finishing sixth behind Epsom Derby winner Camelot in last year's 2,000 Guineas.

The winning owner will receive a whopping £20,982.

The second locally-linked race of the day at Ascot is the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Pavilion Stakes at 4.10pm, a sprint for three-year-old horses run over six furlongs.

The favourite for this race is Ahern, at 4-1, but again the Wandsworth Guardian is recommending Snow King, at odds of 6-1, after being narrowly beaten by current Epsom Derby favourite Telescope at Melbourne's Breeders Cup.

Prize money for this race is also £20,982.

A spokesman for the Battersea charity said: "One of our supporters donated a box at Ascot racecourse, the same thing happened last year.

"We are actually taking along some of the dogs and collection buckets.

"Last year we managed to rehome some of the dogs on the back of the event. Ascot is a key catchment area and a lot of the people who go to the races like dogs.

"The prize money for each race was also donated by the same supporter who provided the box."