Was it really more than a year ago? As York Racecourse prepares once more to welcome fashion and finery when the two-day St Leger Festival comes to town, Steve Carroll harks back to the glorious Royal Ascot at York.

THE Duke of York called it "outstanding", The Queen's representative at Ascot hailed it "one of the most significant racing events in living memory" and it pumped £50 million into the city's economy - such was the success of Royal Ascot at York.

The figures alone made fantastic reading. £5 million spent on champagne alone, 120,000 bottles of bubbly consumed, 10,000 bottles of Pimm's, two tonnes of smoked salmon and 5,000 lobsters eaten.

27,000 extra train seats were snapped up on TransPennine Express alone and millions were handed over at totepool counters as the betting spree threatened to outweigh the amount of beer which was drunk.

Royal Ascot at York was massive in every sense. And it was its huge success which paved the way for next week's St Leger meeting.

Would Doncaster chiefs have chosen York had it not been for Royal Ascot - an event which broke all modern day Knavesmire records?

Over those five days last June, 224,468 spectators stepped out on to the Knavesmire course to witness history, with more than 50,000 turning out on Gold Cup Day alone.

It was a "magical dream", said Ascot head of public relations Nick Smith and a "success on every level", according to City of York Council leader Steve Galloway.

He was the first to dream that the five-day festival might only be the first of many for the city. "A marvellous show was presented to over 100 million people across the whole world," he said.

The gloom of the opening two days did not dampen the mood, before the sun finally shone during a party final day.

Thousands of York residents packed the course's Rails Enclosure on a scorching sunny day dubbed "People's Saturday".

Spectacular races and stunning style, it was glorious in every way - from the entrance of The Queen in the first Royal Procession to the final community singing which swayed the crowds in the Ebor Stand.

And, despite the speculation, Royal Ascot at York was the one-off it was always intended to be. But, thanks to Doncaster, we have another chance to relive those summer memories all over again.