Crowds put off by Ebor downpour forecasts

The prestigious four-day meeting attracted a total 91,339 racegoers, surpassing the 90,000 mark for the second year in succession. However they believe the two per cent drop in attendance – the equivalent of 1,977 paying punters – is attributable to people being put off by weather forecasts that inaccurately predicted heavy rain for the final two days.

However chief executive William Derby said the meeting was still a great success with Channel Four Racing’s viewing figures up by 42 per cent when Sir Henry Cecil’s colt galloped into immortality in the Juddmonte International on Wednesday.

Five North Yorkshire yards won a total of six races while the second most photographed horse of the week, after Frankel, was the “edible racehorse” that celebrated Yorkshire produce.

The Olympic feel-good factor extended to the ovations afforded to gold medal winning boxer Nicola Adams and then Sianagh Gallagher who carried the Paralympic lantern into the winner’s enclosure on Saturday.

With Welcome to Yorkshire agreeing to be the Ebor festival’s headline sponsor until 2015, Mr Derby added: “Ebor 2012 will be forever remembered for Frankel. So many people said it was their best day racing ever. The racecourse team of some 3,000 staff and partners have put in a huge amount of work and I am grateful to them, our sponsors and racegoers for their tremendous support.”

Dettori’s crowning glory: Sports Monday, Page 8.