York officials are confident of handling the recent wet weather

York racecourse officials say the wet weather will not affect the four-day Ebor festival, which starts on Tuesday.

Heavy rain left large areas of the Knavesmire around the track either under water or saturated and one of the racecourse car parks was flooded.

Marketing manager James Brennan told BBC Radio York: "We've got lots of flexibility in the number of car parks we've got, there's loads of space."

Around 120,000 people are expected to attend over the four days.

"We're preparing for some wet weather contingency for the car parks but it's not a drama," Brennan added.

At the moment the going is heavy, some horses will like it, some horses won't York marketing manager James Brennan

He emphasised that the track is not in any danger of flooding even though the grassland around it is partly under water.

"We are investing in a drainage project for the track itself. The racing surface has always had the drainage, so the track itself is a lot drier.

"The next phase of that [drainage work] starts first thing on Saturday morning, the diggers will be on site and a marvellously big machine is going to come and put lateral drains in all the way around the course.

"The racing surface come May 2009 will be better prepared than ever. Whether it would cope with what the Almighty gives us is one of those challenges of being in this wonderful city.

"The team are out there doing work on the track. At the moment the going is heavy, some horses will like it, some horses won't."