BEVERLEY Racecourse staff are delighted with the reaction to their first pre-Christmas ticket sale.
After being inundated with requests for racecourse vouchers so people could give them as presents, the course started its sale early.
Lines opened at 9am yesterday. By 3pm more than 1,200 of the 1,600 premier enclosure tickets available for Mail News & Media Ladies' Day had been sold.
It looked likely the last few would be sold this morning.
Sally Iggulden, chief executive at the award-winning course, confirmed Ladies' Day – the only all-ticket event held at the Westwood course – had been by far the biggest seller.
She said: "The phones have been red-hot and, pretty much without exception, it's all been for Ladies' Day.
"I am surprised at how quickly they have been selling, even though we put them out earlier."
Last year's Ladies' Day rain did not seem to have put people off getting tickets for what is the biggest event on Beverley's social calendar.
Miss Iggulden said: "Most people I spoke to said they had been to Ladies' Day before.
"They said the Dunkirk spirit from last year meant they enjoyed it more than ever. Some of them were saying, after last year's rain, we must be due a good one this year."
Ticket prices at the course have been frozen at the same level as 2012.
Miss Iggulden said: "With the economic climate as it is, we didn't think we could pass on any of our costs to racegoers.
"Last season was fairly lousy weather-wise and we lost a couple of meetings but we have a good, loyal local following who will turn out whatever the weather.
"It's something we are very grateful for."
Next summer's Mail News & Media Ladies' Day, on Wednesday, August 14, will be the highlight of the racing calendar at Beverley.
Following the success of previous Ladies' Day fixtures, the main enclosures are now all-ticket and capacity is restricted to 13,000 to prevent overcrowding.
Events such as Ladies' Day have helped Beverley Racecourse win national recognition.
They are also a boost for the pubs, hotels and guest houses of the town.
For more information about events or tickets at Beverley Racecourse, visit www.beverley-racecourse. co.uk or call 01482 867488.
