Knavesmire work still on schedule

Chief executive of York racecourse, William Derby, says work to improve the surface drainage at the track is going according to plan.

This season's meetings have had to be condensed meaning the final meeting of the year will be the Ebor in August.

Derby told BBC Radio York: "A lot of people coming racing won't know the extent of the work we're undergoing."

The course lost some days of racing last year when severe wet weather meant the Knavesmire flooded.

But Derby says this work should help prevent that happening again in the future.

We want to make sure people who come racing have a really enjoyable day, go away and want to come back William Derby

"It's not called a mire for nothing.

"Obviously it is wet but we're focussing on draining the racing surface itself and have a system for getting the water away and into the River Ouse," he added.

"That's the system we're working on at the moment but it won't be fully complete until this time next year.

"It's a big operation costing a huge amount of money.

"It should result in a better racing surface that allows us to attract better horses to York and also helps avoid the risk of abandonment."