By Amanda Little

Last updated at 10:44, Monday, 09 April 2012

Chocolate bunnies, a bouncy castle and fairground rides meant the thrills and spills weren’t just on the track at Carlisle’s big Easter meeting.

Sisters Sophie Challanger and Caitlin

A crowd of nearly 4,000 made Carlisle’s final jumps meeting of the season the biggest and the best on Saturday.

As well as an eight-race card for racing fans, there was also a host of attractions for children, who were all given a chocolate bunny.

The Easter Saturday meeting is the third biggest in Carlisle’s racing calendar after the big summer Flat racing highlights, the Saturday night fixture followed by a concert and the Ladies’ Night fixture.

Racecourse manager Richard Clements said: “We’re still working out the crowd but we estimate it will be very similar to last year when we got 3,700, so we are very pleased with that attendance. Money is tight for everyone at the moment so to have such a good crowd is very pleasing.

“It is one of our most popular meetings, and it was great to see so many families and children. There was a great atmosphere and good racing as well.”

The Sue Smith-trained You Know Yourself, ridden by Shane Byrne, won the day’s feature race, the three-mile handicap chase.

First published at 09:12, Monday, 09 April 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk