York Racecourse is under starter's orders for its first Sunday meeting in more than 250 years of racing on Knavesmire.

In what will be a Millennium milestone for the city, York's first fist at Sunday racing will form part of a staggered meet next year - with racing on Wednesday, August 30, followed by a three day break before the action starts again on Sunday, September 3.

It will replace the more traditional meeting, like that taking place next week on Wednesday and Thursday, which is run over two consecutive days.

People have been enjoying days out at York Racecouse since records began in 1731, but never on a Sunday.

Racecourse chiefs believe the switch will get turnstiles spinning and will prove an odds-on success with punters, in particular families.

James Brennan, marketing manager at York Racecourse, said: "Sundays are used to introduce families to racing and it is something we want to take part in.

"Sunday is an easier day for families to enjoy an afternoon out together and we are looking to capitalise on the reputation we have for high quality racing and for our first-class facilities.

"Accordingly, our pricing policy and events on that day will try to encourage family attendance."

Evening Press tipster Tom O'Ryan said the move to Sunday racing in York was a step in the "right direction".

"I think it's good news and it will go down very well," said O'Ryan. "The British Horseracing Board obviously see it as a customer friendly exercise and the only ones who won't will probably be the people who will have to work.

"But from the point of view of York Racecourse, I would imagine it will be wonderfully popular compared to what the attendance would be for a Thursday meet in that same week.

"There would be no comparison in terms of attendance."

Yorkshire has led the way in Sunday racing with the first ever Sunday meeting at Doncaster in July 1992 when 23,000 people turned up.

York now joins six other courses in the region - Ripon, Wetherby, Beverley, Pontefract, Redcar and Doncaster - which already stage Sunday racing.

And, in a further boost to punters, those six courses are set to increase the regularity of their Sunday meets next year with Pontefract staging a hat-trick of meetings on June 4 , 25 and August 20; Ripon, June 11 and July 30; Doncaster, July 2; Redcar, July 23 and August 13; Beverley, August 27 and Wetherby, November 12.

The York meeting, on September 3, will be the last in a continuous programme of Sunday racedays across the country next summer from June 4.

Hamilton and Kempton will also play host to meets on that same Sunday as York.

The sport's governing body, the BHB, have confirmed racing will take place on a further six Sundays next year at courses across the country, including January 2.

Announcing the Fixture List for 2000, BHB chief executive Tristram Ricketts said Sunday racing had proved popular with racegoers and its expansion would boost income for participating courses.

"The expansion of Sunday racing, which lies at the heart of Fixture List 2000, is a crucial element in our self-help strategy and an important step towards our goal of making racing the national summer sport."

In another move to more customer friendly racing in York next year, the October 2000 meet will be held over three consecutive days. That will contrast to this year's meet which will be held on October 6 and 7 with a day off before racing resumes on October 9.

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