SIR ALEX Ferguson has backed York Racecourse as a venue to stage future Breeders Cup races.

He is an advocate of holding the American multi-million dollar spectacular on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Manchester United manager was at Knavesmire last night to deliver the 231st Gimcrack dinner speech to an invited audience of racing's top brass.

He said that racing must end its factional in-fighting and embrace the team ethic if it is successful.

He was speaking in his capacity as owner of this year's Gimcrack Stakes winner Rock of Gibraltar.

Ferguson said that racing should seek to broaden its audience and called for the Breeder's Cup to be promoted as something similar to golf's Ryder Cup, staged alternatively in America and Britain.

"Finding the right venue would be vital. Given the desire among horsemen that tracks should be fair to as many competitors as possible, York, the flattest track in Britain, would be an excellent home.

"The Breeders Cup on Knavesmire would be a perfect symbol of a forward-looking industry."

He added: "York's reputation as a wonderful place to savour the glories of flat racing has never been higher and much of the credit for that must go to John Smith (clerk of the course), whose management has provided a glittering example of how a great course should be run.

"John, of course, would be the first to remind us that the standards of efficiency and attractiveness that enabled York to break all attendance records last season - and to earn recognition from the Racegoers' Club as Racecourse of the Year - could never be achieved and maintained by one man. York flourishes as the result of a magnificent team effort."

"In spite of the unfamiliar look of Manchester United's form-line recently, I trust you will not think it inappropriate if I commend the teamwork principle to British racing as a whole.

"Unless the industry embraces the teamwork principle wholeheartedly, instead of merely paying lip-service to it, British racing will never have the success it deserves."

Updated: 11:48 Wednesday, December 12, 2001