EDUCATE won the 57th John Smith's Cup on an afternoon of shocks at York.

At seven years of age, the bay gelding became the oldest winner in the history of the £200,000 race and the first horse over five to win since My Swanee 47 years ago.

Owned by Sultan Ali and trained at Newmarket by Ismail Mohammed, it was a case of 'fourth time lucky' for Educate who had entered the race in the previous three seasons.

And although a regular fixture in high class handicaps, this was only his first victory since the 2013 Cambridgeshire.

Tawdeea, trained by David O'Meara at Upper Helmsley and ridden by Daniel Tudhope , started the race as 6-1 joint favourite but could finish only ninth.

O'Meara and Tudhope had been looking to complete a memorable double following Tawdeea's victory in the Old Newton Cup at Newmarket a week before.

"It is disappointing, he got a bad start, and we missed the break, so we were a bit too far back," shrugged Tudhope afterwards.

Educate won at a price of 18-1 and the result delighted bookmakers, coming hot on the heels of of a 20-1 success for Home Cummins in the John Smith's Racing Stakes and Pamona's 25-1 win in the John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes.

Nearly 37,000 flocked to the Knavesmire on Saturday, undeterred by persistent morning rain, to enjoy the richest middle distance handicap in British racing.

Mercifully, the weather improved after lunch although umbrellas rather than sun hats remained the order of the day.

Godolphin's Timeless Flight, the 3-1 joint favourite, won the opener, The John Smith's Median Auction Maiden Stakes, by three quarters of a length from Lucky Mistake.

Magic Circle, owned by Mr and Mrs David Ackroyd from Boroughbridge, took the second, The John Smith's Stayers' Stakes (Handicap) run over two miles.

"He won four times on the trot last year but this race was more valuable (£9,703) and it's always nice to win on the local course," said a delighted Mr Ackroyd.

The third race of the afternoon, the John Smith's Racing Stakes, ended in thrilling style with Home Cummins winning by a neck from Celestial Path with One Word More three quarters of a length third.

The result gave Malton-based trainer Richard Fahey, who was at Newmarket for the July Cup, his only winner of the meeting.

Pamona won the John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes at odds of 25-1 to leave the majority of punters empty handed.

Owned by the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing syndicate - whose members include Sir Alex Ferguson, Elizabeth Hurley and Gabby Logan - Pamona was making her stable debut for trainer Ralph Beckett - just six weeks after being transferred from Luca Cumani's yard.

Alison Begley, a director of the syndicate, said: "Luca had done a wonderful job but was in total agreement about the switch."

Marsha, owned by Sir Mark Prescott, was an impressive 5-1 winner of the The John Smith's City Walls Stakes and Franca Floria, trained by Kevin Ryan at Hambleton, won the finale, the John Smith's Stakes (Nursery Handicap).

Racing returns to York on July 22 and 23 with a Music Showcase Weekend that also features performances from Kaiser Chiefs and The Corrs.