RACE chiefs in York will know before the end of the year whether they will be needed to host Royal Ascot in 2006.

Ascot said it would be making a definitive announcement in the next few months as to whether construction work at the Berkshire track would be finished in time to host the royal meeting.

Royal Ascot was held in York last week as work continued to rebuild Ascot's course and Grandstand in a £185 million redevelopment project.

Earlier this month, the Evening Press reported how some aspects of the work were behind schedule, but Ascot chiefs were confident its new stage would be ready in time.

With the success of Royal Ascot at York, there has been fresh speculation that, should the Berkshire course not be ready, York would be a front runner to fill the gap.

Now Nick Smith, Ascot's head of public relations, has said the course will know its fate by the end of the year.

"It is difficult to say exactly, but a decision will be made in the next few months - sometime before the end of the year," he said. "The redevelopment is going well. There has been very little change in the last few weeks. The track is looking excellent.

"At the moment it is a case of wait and see, but we are confident of being ready in time."

James Brennan, York Racecourse's marketing manager, said while Ascot remained confident of being ready, Knavesmire would wait and see what will happen.

"It is clearly a significant undertaking if the event were to be repeated," he said. "I guess people in Berkshire will need to know what they are planning for. We are aware of the times of being able to book things like temporary structures.

"There are questions, but only Ascot can give the answers at the moment."

More than 224,000 racegoers flocked to Knavesmire last week to enjoy five-days of top racing and style action. The meeting was hailed a tremendous success with the Queen's representative at Ascot, the Duke of Devonshire, who called it a "moment in history".

Transport police hail Royal Ascot success

A TRANSPORT police chief today hailed Royal Ascot in York a "wonderful success".

He declared he would be happy to see it back next year - despite the event blowing a hole in the police budget.

Inspector Cameron Young, of British Transport Police, praised race-goers for their behaviour after it emerged there were only 24 arrests at York Station over five days.

These were for criminal damage, drunkenness and assault. Of the total, 13 were on the busy Friday night - meaning police had a relatively quiet time during the rest of the festival.

Insp Young, who heads transport policing from Leeds, also outlined the massive cross-force operation put together for last week's meeting.

Officers were drafted in from south and west Yorkshire, the North East, Humberside, West Midlands and Manchester.

A total of about 100 officers were on duty daily, with 25 in the morning and the rest patrolling the station at night.

More than 220,000 punters flocked to York last week. Police estimate an extra 22,000 rail users came through York station on Friday.

"We were manning the station, helping rail staff with questions and providing escorts on trains to various destinations," explained Insp Young.

He said: "Ascot was a wonderful success, well planned by all the agencies. All we got were compliments."

Police fears about York hosting the event did not materialise.

"I've been to Ascot before and know what it can be like for drunkenness. It's a small town. People get drunk and go home.

"York is a bigger city and an attractive place to go at night time. We thought people would go to town and they did. But there were no significant problems.

"We would have no problems with it coming back."

However, Insp Young said he was "dreading" the arrival of the Ascot policing bill.

Updated: 10:37 Saturday, June 25, 2005