Alastair Smith – Racecourse Association
Alex Casemore – Star Sports
This Year’ s Participants
Viewing this online? Click each participant’ s photo to view a short interview about themselves and how they feel about this year’ s programme
Alastair Smith – Racecourse Association
My name is Alastair and I graduated from the University of York in 2025 with a degree in Politics and International Relations. Since graduating, I have worked in a 360 education recruitment role for West Yorkshire Secondary Schools. Alongside this, I have built experience within the horse racing industry through media, marketing and raceday operations, working with Square in the Air, The Good Racing Company and Pontefract Racecourse. My interests in racing focus on the business and longterm growth of the sport, particularly attracting younger audiences, strengthening syndicate ownership and innovating the raceday experience. I am also passionate about the development of small and medium-sized racecourses and increasing their attendance. Coming from outside a racing family, every opportunity I have gained has come through my own initiative and willingness to learn. I am keen to explore the business side of racing, understand industry challenges and see how my ideas around syndicates and raceday experience can support the sport’ s long-term growth.
Alex Casemore – Star Sports
Hello, my name is Alex Casemore, and for the past three years, I have been studying English Language and Linguistics at the University of York. I find that my degree has strengthened my communication and writing capabilities, which have proven very useful in the work I have undertaken.
Writing I found to be relentlessly engaging during my work experience shadowing a journalist at The Daily Telegraph, whilst my time stewarding at Royal Ascot this past Summer, where I essentially managed a small team, demonstrated my strengths in effective communication and leadership. Combining this with the electricity of the races left me undeniably hooked. I am keen to continue honing these skills through journalistic writing, alongside skills more unfamiliar in management and, specifically, marketing due to its combination of creativity and communication, which I find particularly resonant. Learning to develop, focus and tailor my skill set appropriately on top of expanding it, independently or in a team setting, strikes me as incredibly rewarding.
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