THE first day of York Racecourse's 2002 Ebor meeting opened in style, as thousands of punters packed on to Knavesmire to enjoy a classic day's racing.

A record number of advance bookings for the meeting had left Tattersalls, the County Stand and the course enclosure teeming with racegoers.

A roar soon went up when North Yorkshire trainer and jockey partnership Mark Johnston, of Middleham, and Kevin Darley, of Sheriff Hutton, landed the first on the well-backed Bourbonnais.

Rebecca Newey, of Ossett, near Wakefield, had bought a spectacular feathered hat for her trip to York, and said it had brought her luck in the first race.

"I'm here with six friends and we managed to get the winner in the first.

"Mind you, we backed every horse in the race between us, so we might as well have given up if we'd lost," said Rebecca, 29. The school holidays had helped boost numbers at the meeting, as among the bumper crowd were hundreds of younger racegoers.

These included 17-year-old Yorkshire lads Henry Pearson and George Grant, both students at Radley College, in Oxfordshire.

Both said they were enjoying the break from school.

"Racing is a great day out. There are always lots of people you know here.

"This is our third year in a row at the Ebor meeting," they said.

At the other end of the age spectrum was former trainer Bob Ward, who saddled 30 York winners during his career and was known as the Selling Plate King.

Although now aged 95, he still comes to every York meeting.

He said: "I live in Doncaster so it's no bother for me to come here.

"I love it, and I got the first two in the first race.

"Mind you, it wasn't difficult."

The race the crowd had been waiting for was the Juddmonte International Stakes.

There was an air of anticipation among the crowd, which was heightened further by a heavily-fancied Nayef losing a shoe on the way down to the start.

Among the anxious punters was ex-Leeds United boss David O'Leary.

He said: "I'm just having a nice day out with the boys from Godolphin. They are good friends of mine."

Despite the pre-race distractions, well-backed favourite Nayef won well to delight the crowd.

Updated: 11:58 Wednesday, August 21, 2002