YORKSHIRE can't have had many better days on Knavesmire than yesterday's Ebor spectacular.

Former York-based jockey Alan Munro won the totesport Ebor on Sergeant Cecil, trainers Richard Fahey, Kevin Ryan, David Nicholls and Richard Whittaker had winners and Sheriff Hutton jockey Kevin Darley was first home in the final race of the day.

Munro has collected 38 victories for the season - his first back in Britain after a long spell in the Far East.

"I guess I was apprehensive about this year and it has been steady at times, but things are just getting better and better now," he said.

"Coming back to Britain, it could have gone either way. But it feels good because it's home. It feels comfortable. You don't realise how much you miss your home until you come back."

Amadeus Wolf delighted the massive crowd with a stylish victory in the Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes to give Ryan his first domestic Group-race success.

The Hambleton-based handler has a powerful team of youngsters and fresh from saddling Palace Episode to win the Listed Acomb Stakes on the opening day, he was on the mark once again in the juvenile division with 7-1 shot Amadeus Wolf.

Kieren Fallon had been on Tuesday's winner with stable jockey Neil Callan serving a ban, but the latter was back in the plate yesterday and scored by a length and a half from Red Clubs.

Ryan said: "It's a great thrill to win, particularly at York. We've always thought he was a very good horse and he's rubber stamped it."

David Nicholls, who is based not far from Ryan at Sessay, also got on the scoresheet with Johannes, ridden by his son Adrian, in the newitts.com Convivial Maiden Stakes.

Johannes had finished second to Palace Episode on his debut at Catterick last month.

Richard Whitaker by-passed the Gimcrack in favour of the Costcutter Roses Stakes with Tabaret and the move paid off as the 7-1 chance rallied strongly for Dean McKeown to pip Godfrey Street by a short head.

The Scarcroft, near Wetherby handler said: "We had the option to go for the Gimcrack or this. We took him to Ripon the other day and gave him a racecourse gallop and Dean said keep him to five furlongs - he's so fast on this ground."

Realism had the locals cheering as early as the opening race after easily winning the Motability Supported By Royal & SunAlliance Handicap.

The five-year-old is trained at Malton by Richard Fahey and had run well on his last visit to Knavesmire when he was third in the John Smith's Cup.

Realism (12-1) was always handy under Tony Hamilton before being kicked on three furlongs out and the gelding soon had his rivals at full stretch and came home two lengths clear.

Fahey said: "I've put him the Cambridgeshire and a big handicap at Newbury on September 17. He'll probably go to Newbury and then for the other one."

Darley's success came on 10-1 outsider Folga in the Eventmasters Falmouth Handicap.

Updated: 11:40 Thursday, August 18, 2005