DIPLOMA, owned by the Queen, was ridden to victory by Ted Durcan last night at York racecourse.

The Royal Family were not in attendance so they also missed out on a post-race show by indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs!

Durcan, meanwhile, went on to complete a double - steering Briardale to victory in the next race for Middleham-based trainer James Bethell.

Over 25,000 flocked to the Knavesmire for the first instalment of the Music Showcase weekend. Today, there is a seven race card followed by music from The Corrs. The meeting also forms part of the 'Go Racing in Yorkshire' Summer Festival.

Leeds-based Kaiser Chiefs were the main attraction for many last night - their hits include 'I Predict a Riot', 'Ruby', and 'Everyday I Love You Less and Less.'

But those who were there purely for the racing will have saluted Durcan's ride on on Diploma in the British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Fillies' Stakes, a listed race worth £22,684 to the winner.

Diploma, who is trained by Sir Michael Stoute, had been rested since finishing fifth in the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot last month.

Afterwards, Durcan said: "Sir Michael always had this race in mind for her after the Sandringham. She is a lovely horse to ride and she will only improve.

"It was a nice strong run race and she is a big scopy lady who will only strengthen."

With temperatures in the mid seventies, summer dresses and short sleeved shirts were all the rage on a balmy July night.

The first race was won, appropriately enough in the heat, by Cote D'Azur, a 9-4 favourite trained by Sir Mark Prescott, and which gave jockey Manuel Fernandes his first winner on a British track.

The second race, the Premier Design & Print Stakes (Handicap), was the first short sprint of the evening, and an open affair won by 16-1 shot Available.

Jockey Franny Norton needed to work overtime to keep his horse ahead of the David O'Meara trained Bop It on the line and, afterwards, it was revealed that the seven year old winning mare was being retired to stud by owners Derbyshire Racing. Well, there is nothing better than going out on a high.

Tommy Taylor, trained by Kevin Ryan at Hambleton, won the third race, the Best One Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

"Win, lose, or draw, we knew we had a nice horse," said jockey Tom Eaves, who finished half a length in front of the 6-4 favourite Star Archer.

Durcan took the honours in the next two races with Diploma and then Briardale in the Novus Stakes.

The final race of the evening saw Irish horse Just Glamorous, ridden by Oisin Murphy, winning by a neck from East Street Revue in the 'Sky Bet Go Racing in Yorkshire Summer Festival Stakes'.

That was the cue for the hordes to shift their attentions from horses to music. Ricky Wilson and his friends took to the stage insisting that 'everyone was going to have a good night.' Well, the Queen had definitely had a good night without you, Ricky.