ASCOT bosses today gave their strongest hint yet that York will NOT be needed to host another Royal Ascot meeting next year.

Spokesman Nick Smith said that every day, they were becoming more confident that its traditional home at Ascot would be ready to stage the event again in 2006.

He was dismissing speculation that the redevelopment might be delayed, following the departure of its project director David Trench.

Mr Trench, who has been working on the £185 million redevelopment of the Ascot racecourse since 2001, is reported by a building magazine to have said he felt he was "not been getting on too well" with his client.

The project director, who previously oversaw the delivery of the Millennium Dome, is also reported to have claimed that, although his decision to leave was mutual, the project faced difficulties because of the pressure to confirm next year's race card, adding: "The client is very nervous."

York Racecourse successfully hosted this year's meeting while work continued at Ascot, and is thought to be the favourite to host the 2006 Royal meeting as well, if the Ascot course is not ready in time.

Mr Smith said it would not be announced until the autumn whether Ascot would be ready and, if not, who would host the event instead.

However, he said that work was progressing well, with the track laid and set to be tested this autumn, complete with two underpasses.

He said the roof on the new grandstand was half-completed and glazing was being installed. "It's looking good," he said.

He insisted the project was not in trouble just because of the departure of one man.

The Ascot management team had now taken over the running of the project, headed by redevelopment chief executive Howard Shiplee, along with operations director Ronnie Wilkie.

He said Mr Shiplee was vastly experienced, having been involved in the Hong Kong Airport project.

The Evening Press was unable to contact Mr Trench, with a colleague simply confirming that he had left the Ascot project.

Updated: 11:00 Thursday, August 18, 2005