A wonderful week of racing at York once again created fond memories for racegoers and racing professionals alike. Over the four days, the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival 2015 attracted some 88,553 racegoers, which is 10% up on last year, with attendance on all four days showing an increase. The biggest attendance since 2011 is attributed to a combination of the exciting action, the allure of the new facilities at York and being blessed with largely dry weather for racing itself.

On the track, the 352 runners is the highest number of participants in recent years. Amongst them, it has been a week of success for the fillies as they landed all three of the Group One contests. David Elsworth rekindled memories as Arabian Queen became his second Juddmonte International winning filly, securing the record prize money, some quarter of a century after In the Groove was equally majestic on the Knavesmire. Another trainer with a great record at York, Jim Bolger, added to his tally as Pleascach gave him another Darley Yorkshire Oaks. The trio was completed by Mecca’s Angel, an emotional win for Yorkshire based rider, Paul Mulrennan, and her proud northern trainer, Michael Dods.

Europe’s richest flat handicap, the Betfred Ebor, was the feature of the final day and the dramatic racing continued with Litigant dashing clear of a high class field to give both Lambourn based, Joseph Tuite and rider Oisin Murphy their first success in this famous race.

The record prize money for the festival of nearly £4 million produced thrilling action with dead-heats, stalls drama and five Group race triumphs for trainer, William Haggas. The yard’s impressive winner of the Tattersalls Acomb was Recorder, in the silks of HM The Queen.

Over the twenty- five races there have been successes for four local yards, as Richard Fahey, Mark Johnston, David O’Meara and Nigel Tinkler added to their fine records on the Knavesmire. In a meeting with international competition, both France and the USA provided placed horses in the best races, with Irish trainers responsible for a winner on each of the first three days.

The Ray Gilpin Trophy for the leading rider at the Festival reflected the competitive nature of the racing with Frankie Dettori securing the prize after three winners.

On Wednesday, the course was honoured that members of the family of the much missed Sir Henry Cecil were able to officially open the set of wrought iron gates as a permanent way of remembering him. They stand at the northern end of the course, near the new statue of his most famous charge, Frankel – probably the most photographed equine star of the Festival.

Annual visitors to this meeting enjoyed their first experience of the redevelopment of the Northern End of the Racecourse. The new arrangements include new pre-parade ring viewing, a new Weighing Room, new Moët Pavilion, Roof Terrace, John Carr Terrace and racegoer access to the Edwardian Weighing Room.

Fashion is always an integral part of the occasion and a record number of racegoers went down the Ebor Fashion Lawn catwalk. The feature prize of a trip to go racing in Dubai – courtesy of Marriott Hotels – was claimed by a visiting couple from Edinburgh.

Reflecting on another memorable week, Lord Grimthorpe, Chairman of York Racecourse, said “There was a great atmosphere at the course all week and I am delighted that the decision to increase the prize money attracted such strong fields that in turn produced thrilling racing. Add in the sense of occasion that the Ebor Fashion Lawn created and the positive reaction to the new development – it all adds up to a great four days. Racegoers have enjoyed the Yorkshire food, live music and a lot of them have posed for a photograph with the wonderful Frankel statue.”

The strongest growth in attendance of the week came on Saturday when the attendance of 30,251 was 19% ahead of last year and the best attended day of the festival since 2007. The four day format, including a Saturday, still comfortably outstrips the attendance of the previous three weekday festival; that drew a crowd of just over 75,000 on its last staging back in 2007.

As part of a wider plan to encourage the next generation of racegoers, those aged under eighteen rather than under sixteen, were allowed admission free of charge, naturally this serves to further depress any historic year on year comparisons.

Commenting on the Festival, William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course, said “Ebor 2015 will be remembered for the moments of equine drama and the human stories linked to them. The racecourse team of over 2,000 staff and partners have delivered a memorable, successful and above all, enjoyable meeting. I am grateful to them, the horsemen, our sponsors and racegoers for their tremendous support. We are delighted with the performance of and reaction to the northern end development in its first Ebor Festival.”

Always a key part of the European racing calendar, the Festival includes four races that are part of the QIPCO British Champions Series. The Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival continues to grow in its world-wide appeal, with the whole Festival being shown live in Australia, huge bonuses on offer from the Japan Racing Association for York winners and the three Group One races (Juddmonte International, Darley Yorkshire Oaks and Coolmore Nunthorpe) all included in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. Advertised prize money was at a new record of over £3.8 million, boosted to nearly four million by the supplementary entry fees for a number of the pattern races.

As the feature racing Festival of 2015 becomes a fond memory and before it returns on Wednesday 17 August 2016, the sporting crowds can look forward to the next raceday on Sunday 6 September when both the Pony Race Series and Peppa Pig come to the Knavesmire.