Market Rasen Groundstaff Collect Top Award

The groundstaff at Market Rasen Racecourse have been judged to have produced the best jump racecourse in 2010. This is the first time the racecourse has won this prestigious industry award.

The presentation was made at a meeting this week to Head Groundsman, Steve Bakin, and his team.

Clerk of the Course at Market Rasen Racecourse, Sulekha Varma, said "The small team at Market Rasen have worked tirelessly in recent years to improve the racing surface, under the guidance of Head Groundsman, Steve Bakin. This has been especially noticeable in the rise of the racecourse to one of the country's leading Summer Jumping venues. The quality of horses running Market Rasen and their subsequent achievements is testament to the ongoing improvements, instigated while Nick Patton was Clerk of the Course and continued in the past year."

"Being awarded the Neil Wyatt Groundstaff Award for the Best Jump Racecourse in 2010 is a huge honour and thoroughly deserved by the entire team."

Judging of the awards is undertaken by a panel comprising representatives of the National Trainers Federation and Professional Jockeys' Association, with support from the BHA Course Inspectors.

The Awards are organised by the Racecourse Association and sponsored by Pitchcare in association with ALS and Fornells.

Image: (l to r) Ian Frankish (Gardener), Neil Bennett (Groundsman), John Richards (Pitchcare), Phil Hall (Groundsman/ Maintenance), Steve Bakin (Head Groundsman).