A RACING broadcaster and journalist will be officially opening a popular Good Friday stables open day.

Alastair Down, who was the face of Channel 4 Racing for many years and is one of the most-respected racing journalists in the UK, will launch Middleham Stables Open Day at on Friday, April 3, at 9.15am.

The popular open day, which is celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year, attracted more than 6,000 visitors in 2014 and raised about £18,000 for local and national charities.

Mr Down said: “It is a great honour to be opening Middleham’s special day.

“My association with racing in Yorkshire goes back 40 years, when I was a student at York University, and I have many happy memories of racing in the county, as well as many friends amongst Yorkshire’s trainers and jockeys.”

Mr Down will also be signing copies of his new book, Cheltenham Et Al, The Best of Alastair Down.

Robert Beaumont, one of the organisers of the open day, said: “We are very privileged to have someone of Alastair’s stature and reputation in the racing world to be our guest of honour on open day.”

The stables will be open to the public, with more than 500 horses for visitors to see, while racing from Lingfield will be screened live from a big screen at the Top Cross in Middleham from 1.45pm.

This year the two main charities will be the Jessica Bethell Charitable Foundation, in memory of the daughter of James Bethell, the chairman of Middleham Trainers’ Association, and the Household Cavalry Foundation.

Tickets cost £10 per adult, and admission for accompanied children is free.

Fourteen yards are open to the public from 9.30am until either 1.00pm or 2.30pm. Free parking is available in Middleham or nearby Leyburn, with free bus links between car parks and the outlying stables. This includes Ann and George Duffield at Sun Hill Stables at Constable Burton from noon until 4.00pm.

For more details visit www.middlehamstablesopenday.co.uk or call 01969-624411.