YORK'S claim to be the Ascot of the North has been triumphantly realised.

We have known it all along. Now even racegoers in the south will have to acknowledge it.

The kudos that staging Royal Ascot will bring to the city is immense.

The focus of the racing world will be on York. That will be great for the economy, great for the city's sporting and social life - and great for our reputation around the globe.

It will be a chance for York to shine.

If Royal Ascot is anything, it is an occasion. For five days, York will be the centre of high society and fashion. Punters will come to the city from all over the world - and among them, hopefully, we can expect to see the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

The Queen is no stranger to York racecourse. She was a regular visitor in the 1970s - and so were other members of her family.

Princess Anne was even a rider at the course during her jockey days, and cruised to victory on Insular in June 1988 - in the appropriately named Queen Mother Stakes.

The royal meeting is not an easy event to stage. Racegoers consume more than 120,000 bottles of champagne, eat more than 6,000 lobsters and drink 1,761 kegs of beer.

The Ascot authorities clearly believe York is up to the challenge, however. The racecourse beat off challenges from Newmarket and Goodwood to host this most prestigious of events, firmly securing its reputation as one of the flagship courses in the country.

It will be for the racecourse to make sure that the 2005 Royal Ascot is a resounding success.

But it will be for the rest of us to make sure York makes the most of the opportunity the event offers. The city will be standing room only for the five days of the meeting, and the eyes and ears of the world will be trained upon us.

We must all do our bit to ensure that for such a Royal occasion, York puts on its very best face.

Updated: 10:54 Monday, August 11, 2003