SUNDAY racing at York proved a hit - certainly with the punters.

The first race day on Knavesmire on a Sunday, sponsored by the Evening Press, brought the fans flocking in with an attendance of 22,500, much more than double what would have been expected had it been a midweek meeting.

"We're delighted with the attendance figure," said marketing and sponsorship manager James Brennan.

"There were plenty of our regulars but there were also lots of new faces, which is very encouraging.

"There's already a fixture planned for next year and it looks like Sunday racing is here to stay."

Kevin Darley and Tim Easterby put the seal on a memorable weekend as their names went on to the winning list on the historic day.

The Sheriff Hutton jockey and Great Habton, near Malton, trainer had combined 24 hours earlier to land the Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock with Pipalong.

This time Easterby was on the mark when My American Beauty landed the opening race, the York Swallow Hotel Nursery.

My American Beauty, a 6-1 chance ridden by Jimmy Quinn, found a good line from the centre of the field and beat Wally McArthur by one and a quarter lengths.

The winner's stablemate Time To Remember started the 9-4 favourite but he faded in the closing stages after showing up well.

"I was going to take My American Beauty to Hamilton but I was worried about the ground there," said Easterby.

"She's improved with each race and was helped with a decent draw here.

"I did think Time To Remember would run well as well but he's run too freely."

It was jockeys' championship leader Darley's turn when Style Dancer, owned by Carol Hodgetts of Poppleton, won the Monks Cross Shopping Park Quintin Gilbey Silver Trophy.

Style Dancer's victory was a boost to trainer Richard Whitaker, whose string has dwindled to 10 horses.

"He's been a bit of a frustrating horse," said Whitaker. "But if he gets a fast pace he starts passing horses and keeps going."

Style Dancer will be back in action at the Ayr Gold Cup meeting and at the end of the month is set to tackle the Mail On Sunday Mile Final at Ascot.

Whitaker went on to complete a double when Vicious Dancer romped home by eight lengths in the last race.

The colt is set to move up to Group-race company and tackle the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston was out of luck with his runners and is still chasing his 1,000th winner of the season.

His charge Virgin Soldier led in the early stages of the one and threequarter mile showcase handicap Minister Jaguar York Stakes but then faced a strong challenge from Sharp Stepper.

While the going was given as good, jockey Tony Culhame revealed that it was a touch sticky coming offf the bend into the final straight and it was here that the John Gosden trained Sharp Stepper, made his move and showed the staying power necessary to hold off a late surge from Irish horse Montalcino.

Gary Carter will not have such happy memories of the first Sunday meeting at York. He picked up a five-day riding ban that will rule him out of the entire Western Meeting at Ayr.