THE Malton Racing Association Stables Open Day, abandoned last year because of the foot and mouth epidemic, is back on schedule.

The event, hugely popular with racing enthusiasts and the general public, will take place on Sunday, August 25, and will be held in co-ordination with a race meeting at Beverley the same afternoon.

A similar format had been planned last year until Ryedale trainers voted unanimously in favour of supporting the farming community and abandoning the opening of stables due to the risk of visitors bringing foot and mouth to the area.

The upshot was that Beverley staged a Malton Racing Association (MRA) day, and played host to our three regular equine stars, Jodami, Uncle Ernie and the mighty Desert Orchid, who paraded on the track and provided the bumper crowd with something to savour.

The trio will likewise make an appearance at Beverley this year, but will also be on show during the morning as Ryedale stables fling open their doors once again to provide visitors with the opportunity to see behind the scenes.

Rosemary Carter, secretary to the MRA, said: "It's all systems go again this year. The open day has always been very popular and, judged on the number of phone calls I've received from people enquiring whether it was taking place this year, I am sure that our decision to go ahead will be good news to many."

She added: "What happened last year was very unfortunate, but our trainers have a strong empathy with the farmers and they were in no doubt that, given the circumstances, the opening of stables to visitors coming from all over Britain was a risk not worth taking."

This will be the seventh MRA Open Day, which again will benefit local causes and charities, including Malton Hospital. Admission will be £5 for adults, £1 for under-16s and is free for under-fives.

More imminently, tickets will soon be printed for the Malton Racing Association Grand National Dinner Dance, which has become very much part of racing's social calendar in recent years. The event, which takes place on the evening of the Grand National - staged this year on Saturday April 6 - has proved an excellent charity fund-raiser in the past, thanks in no small part to the grand auction.

Among the items up for grabs this time around will be a visit to Helmsley's Cliffe Stud, owned by Henry Cecil and managed by Kevin McCauley, which has been packaged with a two-night stay at the Feversham Arms, courtesy of owner Tony Fawcett. It is hoped to complete the package by adding two badges to a local race meeting, probably at Thirsk.

The dinner dance, which last year received an extra boost when Richard Guest, winner of the Grand National on 33-1 shot Red Marauder, arrived to celebrate his momentous triumph with family and friends, includes the presentation of a special local award.

The Edward Shouler Trophy, which remembers the late Ryedale owner, was won last year by Kevin Darley in recognition of his becoming the first northern-based flat jockey in living memory to win the championship.

Who, from Ryedale, will receive the coveted trophy this year, remains to be seen. But the MRA committee has already received some nominations for an award which embraces achievement, attitude, devotion to duty and general popularity in even doses.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, February 14, 2002