Fahey was delighted with the performance of Utmost Respect

Malton trainer Richard Fahey said he was pleased with his successful return to York on the first day of the Dante Festival on Wednesday.

Utmost Respect, which was ridden by Paul Hannagan, won the day's richest race, the Duke of York Stakes.

Fahey told BBC Radio York: "I train 20 minutes down the road. I always say having a winner here is like having four somewhere else.

"There's some great races and we get the opportunity to win some of them."

The Dante meeting is the first to be held at York since the Ebor event was cancelled last August because of flooding.

Since then officials at the course have overseen extensive drainage work.

And Fahey, who picked up the award for the most winners at York for the third consecutive season last year, said the loss of the Ebor meeting was devastating.

"I think we had 28 entries that week so we made plans to go there," he said.

"To lose it was a disaster for me because I had to reshuffle and reschedule where we were going because the target was the Ebor meeting.

"But to get back racing is fantastic. I train down the road, I like having runners here and it's nice to be here.

"We trialled our horses here and got first-hand experience of what they've actually done. They seem confident, which is great."

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