The latest episode of Talk of the Course shines a light on York Racecourse and features an interview with William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course. York Racecourse had an outstanding 2025, being ranked number one in the RCA’s Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme for racegoer experience and topping the table in assessment schemes for owners and stable staff.

Throughout the podcast, William explains how his team approach delivering the best experience, their desire for continuous improvement and the importance to being open to a range of different voices and opinions. He also discusses the RCA Showcase, what it means to the team at York and how the event encourages betterment amongst all the racecourses across Britain. Finally, we look ahead to the upcoming season on the Knavesmire, the improvements that have been made across the site and what racegoers have to look forward to.  

To close, we ask William the #QuickFireFive and discover the best raceday breakfast in York, his dream Knavesmire match race and his go-to Taylor Swift song.  

Talk of the Course is designed to shed a light on the best practice emanating from racecourse teams across the country, covering all aspects of racecourse operation. It is written, produced and hosted by the RCA’s executive team. The latest episode is available now to stream via YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts platforms.