Thousands flocking to view 'super-horse' Frankel at York Racecourse's Ebor Festival

9:16am Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk

Frankel ridden by Tom Queally Frankel ridden by Tom Queally

TENS of thousands of people will descend on Knavesmire today as the Ebor Festival gets under way at York Racecourse.

The four-day event is expected to attract more than 90,000 visitors, with organisers today expecting record numbers as super-horse Frankel make his much-anticipated move up in distance in the Juddmonte International Stakes.

The world’s highest-rated champion racehorse, worth an estimated £100 million, is unbeaten in 12 races and will today tackle eight rivals, racing over a mile and a quarter for the first time.

Tomorrow thousands will attend Ladies Day, with fashion guru Jeff Banks selecting best-dressed racegoers with prizes up for grabs including jewellery, and holidays to Dubai and the Caribbean.

The Ebor meeting is one of the richest in the north of England, with prize money this year totaling almost £3 million.

James Brennan, the racecourse’s head of marketing, said he hoped numbers would exceed last year’s 90,000-crowds and likened the atmosphere among staff to that of Christmas Eve.

He said: “Everyone is attuned to just how special Frankel is and it is extremely exciting to have him here.

“But one horse an Ebor festival does not make. We have Frankel’s baby brother Noble Mission racing half an hour earlier and on Saturday we have the Betfred Ebor which is one of the strongest competitions of the year. We have something for everyone.”

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Frankel’s appearance has revived memories of colt Brigadier Gerard, who won 17 of his 18 races, with his only loss coming at York in 1972.

Extra police will be on duty today and have vowed to take robust action against troublemakers.

Sergeant Ed Noble of the York West police team, said: “Obviously we want to welcome visitors to the racecourse and to the city and we want to make sure they have a good experience when they come to the races.

“However, we also want to make sure what is best for the community too.”

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Comments(15)

roskoboskovic says...
10:06am Wed 22 Aug 12

the powers that be at york racecourse have no interest in the comfort or well-being of the racegoers all they are interested in is getting hold of the money.they squash a quart into a pint pot and even the members areas now have to contend with too many bodies.the mayhem will really begin on saturday with only the promise of bad weather threatening to calm things down.

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sheps lad says...
10:40am Wed 22 Aug 12

Cheer up!

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Happytoliveinyork says...
10:41am Wed 22 Aug 12

90,000 over 4 days for the Ebor - the John Smith cup gets about half of this on one day so hardly cramming them in.


Looking forward to 4 days cracking racing and seeing the mighty Frankel today :-)

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bravo the brave says...
11:25am Wed 22 Aug 12

The racecourse should be made to contribute to the cost of all the mayhem that is caused by drunken people leaving their course. Unfortunately their attitude is once they leave the course they are no longer responsible for them, so they get them drunk and then the problems begin,whilst the citizens of York suffer the racecourse hierarchy sit in their counting house and laugh all the way to the bank

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bravo the brave says...
11:25am Wed 22 Aug 12

The racecourse should be made to contribute to the cost of all the mayhem that is caused by drunken people leaving their course. Unfortunately their attitude is once they leave the course they are no longer responsible for them, so they get them drunk and then the problems begin,whilst the citizens of York suffer the racecourse hierarchy sit in their counting house and laugh all the way to the bank

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jaycee says...
12:27pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Get 'em in,fill 'em with drink and throw 'em onto the streets of York-the James Brennan philosophy.

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invisibleman says...
12:44pm Wed 22 Aug 12

I have heard a rumor that there is to be requital for the "accident" that happened to an ex boxer a few weeks ago and that this race meeting is to be the event. As a result of this rumor I have been advised not to venture out until after this race meeting is over (apart from work etc)

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YorkPatrol says...
2:49pm Wed 22 Aug 12

invisibleman wrote:
I have heard a rumor that there is to be requital for the "accident" that happened to an ex boxer a few weeks ago and that this race meeting is to be the event. As a result of this rumor I have been advised not to venture out until after this race meeting is over (apart from work etc)
You are invisible so you should be ok to go out and about for a bit

anyway, unless you were in some way connected to the incident you should'nt have anything to worry about

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Happytoliveinyork says...
5:26pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Just back from a wonderful afternoon at York races.

Just wish the nimby contingent would move to somewhere like Scunthorpe or Wakefiled so they don't chunter on about the races all the time!

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Caecilius says...
6:12pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Typically for York, the races bring no benefit at all for the majority of people who actually live here, just a lot of inconvenience. Congestion is even worse than usual, travel is disrupted and we have to put up with hordes of noisy, offensive drunks reeling around the streets, stuffed into ill-fitting hire suits or dresses 20 years too young for them.

Still, York residents should be proud to put up with it all in the knowledge that the racecourse owners are lining their pockets, which of course is all that matters.

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Happytoliveinyork says...
7:09pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Caecilius wrote:
Typically for York, the races bring no benefit at all for the majority of people who actually live here, just a lot of inconvenience. Congestion is even worse than usual, travel is disrupted and we have to put up with hordes of noisy, offensive drunks reeling around the streets, stuffed into ill-fitting hire suits or dresses 20 years too young for them.

Still, York residents should be proud to put up with it all in the knowledge that the racecourse owners are lining their pockets, which of course is all that matters.
I am a York resident and LOVE going to the races.

It was a fantastic day - with Frankel the eyes of the world were on our beautiful city.

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Buzz Light-year says...
7:50pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Happytoliveinyork wrote:
Just back from a wonderful afternoon at York races.

Just wish the nimby contingent would move to somewhere like Scunthorpe or Wakefiled so they don't chunter on about the races all the time!
Or Market Rasen or Towcester or Sandown or Thirsk.

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Happytoliveinyork says...
10:28pm Wed 22 Aug 12

Buzz Light-year wrote:
Happytoliveinyork wrote:
Just back from a wonderful afternoon at York races.

Just wish the nimby contingent would move to somewhere like Scunthorpe or Wakefiled so they don't chunter on about the races all the time!
Or Market Rasen or Towcester or Sandown or Thirsk.
There are around 2,000 towns in the UK and 60 race courses - so just the 1,940 other places to live then....

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piaggio1 says...
12:07am Thu 23 Aug 12

yep.thugs in suits,all in £30 asda jobs,an the girls?? in £25 matalan jobs, don,t yer just love it.if this wer a bunch of skinheads/bikers ,there would be hell to pay.

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Buzz Light-year says...
8:06am Thu 23 Aug 12

Happytoliveinyork wrote:
Buzz Light-year wrote:
Happytoliveinyork wrote: Just back from a wonderful afternoon at York races. Just wish the nimby contingent would move to somewhere like Scunthorpe or Wakefiled so they don't chunter on about the races all the time!
Or Market Rasen or Towcester or Sandown or Thirsk.
There are around 2,000 towns in the UK and 60 race courses - so just the 1,940 other places to live then....
My point was "the races" as an event in the towns I mentioned are significantly more dignified and don't carry the same amount of "trouble" as those at York.
It was supposed to be light hearted, y'know.

I don't have as much to say about the races these days now that the Press seems to have come out of the shadow of the racecourse and now actually reports any related trouble.

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