CROWDS gathered for day one of York’s final meeting of the year which was worth a record £465,000.

Racegoers of all ages, including a group of students from York High School, enjoyed the warm weather and racing action as York Racecourse hosted its final two-day meeting of 2017.

More than 10,000 people passed through the gates for yesterday’s racing - a shade up on the numbers at the same weekend last year, the course’s marketing manager James Brennan said.

“Remarkably for the October, people were able to sit out and enjoy the champagne lawns with barely an overcoat in sight.”

With a positive forecast for Saturday, he said they were hoping people would take the chance to enjoy the last of racing in 2017.

He added: “We’re looking forward to a finale with the Band of the Coldstream Guards. They are good enough to play the Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, and now they are playing Knavesmire.”

Among the highlights yesterday was the course’s biggest ever Countryside Market, while Bracken the sheepdog’s display attracted plenty of cheers and entertained the crowds between races.

This afternoon’s seven race card includes the bumper £100,000 sprint handicap - the Coral Sprint Trophy, helping to make it the most valuable October finale ever held on Knavesmire. Prize money for these two days has almost doubled in value since 2014.