THE biggest crowd for years packed York Racecourse for what Ebor organisers have called the "meet of superlatives".

This year's three-day racing extravaganza features not only the Knavesmire's fastest race, but also its longest, its richest and its most famous races. Among the 32,000 race-goers were Emmerdale stars Clive Hornby, Samantha Giles, Elizabeth Estensen, Anna Brecon and John Middleton, who cheered home their horses from a box in the grandstand.

Racing pundit and former champion jockey Willie Carson was in attendance, and must have backed a winner, judging from his reaction to the sprint to the line in the Tote Ebor Handicap, which was won by Give The Slip.

Racecourse spokesman James Brennan hoped today's racing would be action-packed.

"Yesterday's racing went off under cloudless blue skies and we are all looking forward to Ladies' Day," he said.

Mr Brennan said a number of syndicate-owned horses had won yesterday, and there had been some very happy punters in the stands.

But one unlucky race-goer was forced to watch the action from hospital after tripping and falling before even making it to the track-side.

Tracy Nelson, 29, of Easingwold, had been planning and saving for her big day at the races for months, and had splashed out hundreds of pounds on a new hat and outfit.

But the shop manager fell down a small flight of stairs and badly bruised her leg as she made her way to the stands.

Her afternoon was spent in the less-than-glamorous surroundings of the casualty department of York District Hospital, where she was no doubt the best-dressed patient.

PICTURE: The packed champagne area at York Racecourse