YORK Royal Ascot preparations cleared another hurdle today after the way was cleared for a quarter of a million racegoers to enjoy the prestigious meeting.

With a maximum of 50,000 people now being allowed to attend each day of the five-day meeting, modern attendance records at the Knavesmire course look odds-on favourite to be smashed.

Race officials decided existing stands and temporary facilities will allow the York capacity to be boosted to 50,000 a day for the summer 2005 event.

Royal Ascot's average attendance is about 60,000 a day, with up to 80,000 for Ladies Day.

A major York meeting generally attracts more than 30,000 punters, with the course's overall average crowd about 18,000. The biggest attendance at Knavesmire in modern times was 39,501, in 2001.

York Safety Advisory Group (SAG) members met last week to discuss crowd and safety proposals, tabled by York and Ascot Racecourse chiefs.

Chairman Richard Haswell, head of licensing and regulation at City of York Council, said: "Recent attendances at York Racecourse have been in the region of 40,000 and SAG is confident that with the additional stands, wet weather cover and the all-ticket nature of the event, site safety can be effectively managed at 50,000."

York Racecourse spokesman James Brennan said if pre-Ascot anticipation was matched by ticket sales, records could be broken. He said: "We can't prejudge anything. Tickets may not go on sale until next January." He said residents worried about an influx of racegoers would be part of ongoing crowd management talks.

As well as using existing permanent stands, extra temporary and hospitality areas will be built, supplemented by covered wet weather areas to prevent overcrowding if the heavens open.

Officials confirmed that precise details of enclosures - including Royal Enclosure - have yet to be confirmed. Capacity plans will be examined further in the next few months, but are not expected to change.

Country house owners could cash in on York Royal Ascot by renting out their homes - and one may even end up camping at Castle Howard.

Charles Clive, who lives in a farmhouse close to his ancestral home of Nunnington Hall (now owned by the National Trust), hopes to rent out his present home when Ascot comes to York in 2005.

Asked about national newspaper reports that he planned to camp on the estate of his friend, Simon Howard, he said: "It's an option. I'd say that was probably said in jest, but we will see. First we have to rent the house out, then find somewhere to live."

Mr Clive, 52, who lives with his wife and two children, said rental during Ascot could prove a money-spinner, but admitted he had no idea how much he could pocket. "I think it's all up in the air at the moment."

A Castle Howard spokeswoman said there was nothing preventing canny aristocrats booking space at the venue's holiday park, which provides space for caravans and tents alongside the great lake, turning it into an upper-class Glastonbury.

Updated: 14:56 Monday, March 01, 2004