By Francis Keogh

Royal Ascot's world-famous race meeting is on the move this week - and will take place at York for the first time.

So why are 300 years of tradition being swept away, and what differences might we see at the big meeting?

Ascot racecourse closed for a �185m redevelopment last September, and the fixture had to switch while major construction work takes place.

From Ascot to York The big move - in photos

The race to hold the money-spinning fixture was won by York, beating off competition from Cheltenham, Newbury and Newmarket racecourses.

Ascot hopes to create one of the world's most modern racecourses, with a new grandstand, track and parade ring.

Plans have been drawn up by the same design team who were behind the Millennium Stadium and Stadium Australia.

Racing began at Ascot in 1711 and the Royal meeting itself has never been staged anywhere except at the Berkshire course.

A special round course has been built at the Knavesmire circuit for the meeting.

DID YOU KNOW? The Knavesmire is so named as it may have been a marshy land where knaves or felons were executed

It means York can stage big staying races such as the Gold Cup over two and a half miles and Flat racing's longest event, the Queen Alexandra Stakes, which is two furlongs further.

But there will be fundamental differences - Ascot has a straight mile with a steady climb almost all the way, but all the mile races at York will be run over the round course as its straight stretches to only six furlongs.

And, while the horses turn right-handed at Ascot, York is the opposite way round.

Probably. Although Ascot appear to be more quietly confident, than totally certain.

A reopening date of May 2006 has been set by officials, and the theory is that Royal Ascot at York is a one-off.

However, as the new Wembley project has shown, such major building projects can be thrown off course.

Ascot chief executive Douglas Erskine-Crum conceded: "Some aspects of the project are slightly ahead and some are slightly behind - but only by a matter of weeks, and we are optimistic they are recoverable."

She wouldn't miss it for the world, and a Royal procession is planned for all five days of the meeting.

Timeline: Ascot's revamp

Practice runs have already been staged at York.

Each day, there will be four landau carriages travelling down the track before racing, accompanied by 24 white and grey horses.

The famous Ascot dress code also applies, with top hat and tails a must for men in the royal enclosure. For women, it is formal day wear, and a hat that covers the crown of your head.

Businesses have been wringing their hands for months in anticipation, and hope the tills will be ringing all week.

EATING & DRINKING What will be consumed at the York meeting Champagne: 150,000 bottles Strawberries: Five tonnes Cream: 1,650 gallons

Some hotels which hiked up prices too much found the plan back-fired, and their venues being snubbed.

But it is believed visiting racegoers will bring more than �50m into the local economy.

Cash will come in through a range of avenues including accommodation bookings, transport, bars, restaurants and pubs.

"There will be about 260,000 people attending the meeting and spending their money on taxis, petrol, corner shops and the like," said York racecourse chief executive William Derby.

And York has opened up the Rails Enclosure, which has a 10,000 capacity, to people who live within a five-mile radius of the course. They can enjoy Royal Ascot for just �4 a day.

Many racegoers south of Towcester refer to York as the Ascot of the north. And in Yorkshire, Ascot is the York of the south.

I think some of the Ascot locals will breathe a sigh of relief for one year From HB Have your say on Five Live

The course's Royal enclosure has a 7,000 capacity, some 4,000 below Ascot, and there has been suggestions ticket sales were not as brisk as anticipated.

But between 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected to make the journey north from London each day.

Capacity at York has been set at 56,000 daily, compared to about 70,000 at Ascot.

Unfortunately for York, one of Royal Ascot's biggest draws will be missing from the event - champion jockey Frankie Dettori.

The popular Italian, racing's most famous and marketable current star, landed a ban for careless riding at Lingfield which rules him out of the meeting.

Dettori entered sporting folklore with his memorable 'Magnificent Seven' at Ascot in September 1996, riding the winner of every race on the card.

While that achievement was not at 'Royal' Ascot, Dettori and his famous flying dismount is synonymous with the meeting.

He rode six winners at the 2004 fixture, and his Australian replacement Kerrin McEvoy has big boots to fill this time.