RACING fans flocked in their thousands to take a behind the scenes look at some of North Yorkshire's top yards during the Middleham Stables Open Day.

Early indications were that attendances for the Good Friday event, which allowed the public to tour 14 yards, were well up on last year – despite some indifferent weather.

Mark Johnston, Karl Burke and James Bethell were just three of the trainers who threw the doors of their stables open.

The afternoon also saw a host of events take place on the Low Moor, including a display from rehabilitated racehorses and a breeze-up of top two-year-olds.

Johnston, one of the country's biggest handlers with nearly 230 horses in training, held a series of question and answer sessions with crowds curious about his Kingsley House operation.

He said: “James Bethell was the first to propose the open day many years ago. It works well and it's a great thing for the industry. There are a lot of people here.”

Bethell, chairman of the Middleham Trainers' Association, said: “This was better than we could have expected.

“The weather has been kinder. People have braved it and it was nice to get the afternoon events up and running again.”