YORK Racecourse will have a new chief executive to lead it through the latest stage of its development.

The York Race Committee has announced that William Derby, 31, who is commercial director at Ascot Racecourse, will join the team in May.

He will be taking over from John Smith, 65, the manager and clerk of the course, who has overseen York Racecourse for 15 years.

Mr Smith is retiring in November, when Mr Derby will officially take over the re-named position.

Mr Derby, a graduate of Wye College, London University and a qualified chartered accountant, said he was excited about the challenge, but said Mr Smith was a hard act to follow.

He said: "I'm really waiting to get up to York and work with John Smith over the summer.

"Obviously it's an expanded role for me and I'm looking forward to doing the bits and pieces that I haven't done at Ascot."

Mr Smith said he would be sad to say goodbye to the racecourse.

Updated: 11:35 Thursday, February 07, 2002