Record numbers head for ladies day at Ebor Festival

YORKSHIRE'S famous Ebor Festival may incorporate Saturday racing for the first time next year as organisers look to build on its burgeoning profile and boost attendance figures.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Aug 2010, 01:04 BST
Updated 19th Aug 2010, 01:05 BST

As this year's festival enters its third day today, with record numbers expected for the glamour of Ladies Day, it emerged York Racecourse has requested permission to hold next year's event from Wednesday to Saturday rather than Tuesday to Friday.

If agreed, the change would see the world-famous Ebor Handicap, which at 170 years old is one of the oldest fixtures on the racing calendar, moved to the Saturday to pull in crowds.

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Attendance figures are notably higher for Saturday meetings than on week days.

Just 15,000 people attended Ebor for the opening of this year's festival on Tuesday – down nine per cent on last year.

The final decision will be made through the British Horseracing Authority's formal fixture-setting process, with the 2011 fixture card due to be published on September 23.

Head of marketing for York Racecourse James Brennan said: "Three days of a midweek festival plus a Saturday is probably a balance that would bring more people racing.

"It needs the Saturday fixture to come from somewhere. We can't unilaterally decide to do it."

Related topics:York Racecourse