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racing_news/
Arena Leisure Appoints New Trainee Clerk Of The Course At Lingfield
Park And Folkestone Racecourses
14/05/05
Arena Leisure has appointed a new trainee clerk of the course to cover both Lingfield
Park and Folkestone Racecourses. Neil Mackenzie Ross (31), currently Jump Race
Executive at the British Horseracing Board, will join Arena in mid July.
Neil, who already has a broad knowledge of the sport, will begin his role as a trainee clerk aiming to be fully fledged by the autumn. In the meantime, he will be working alongside John Pullin and Fergus Cameron, both fully qualified and experienced clerks at Arena, and under the close direction of Ian Renton, Director of Racing for Arena Leisure.
Neil Studied Recreational Management at Sheffield University and has had a varied experience in the racing industry including working and riding out for two trainers - Robin Dickin and Lawrence Wells - he also spent a brief spell with Criquette Head in Chantilly.
Other previous experience giving Neil an insight into racing included managing a betting shop for Ladbrokes. He has been at the BHB for two and a half years as Jump Racing Executive where he is heavily involved in race planning and putting together the Programme Book, the Jump Pattern Book and the Racing Calendar.
Both Folkestone and Lingfield race all year round, with Folkestone staging 22 turf meetings - nine National Hunt and 13 flat. Lingfield Park is the busiest racecourse in the country with 97 fixtures in total with all-weather racing on the Polytrack - it also stages five National Hunt meetings this year and has a busy summer season of flat turf and some mixed fixtures.
Ian Renton said: “Neil is very enthusiastic about joining Arena and we are delighted he has accepted this important role within our group. Although it is a slightly new direction in his career, it is a new challenge, and his race planning experience will be invaluable as it is a major part of his new position.
“The Arena team look forward to welcoming Neil, and supporting him through his training period and beyond. I am confident he will fit in well and enjoy a successful career with us.”
Neil said: “I have very much enjoyed working at the BHB, it has given me a pretty thorough knowledge of the industry and I know my race planning experience will be useful. It is a slight change in direction for me, and will definitely be challenging, but I have always wanted to qualify and work as a clerk of the course, and I see it as an opportunity to get even more closely involved with racing.”
