Update
Spotlight On...Bill Farnsworth, General Manager At Musselburgh Racecourse
Month: August 2005
Category: Social Intercourse
Date and place of Birth:
14th July 1968 – Driffield, East Yorkshire.
Marital Status:
Married to Kate since 1999.
Children:
2 girls – Ruth (2years) & Sarah (6 months).
Previous Career(s):
Farmhand at home, odd job man for Mick Easterby & Clerk of the Course at Hamilton Park Racecourse. Mick Easterby, Hazel Peplinski and Mark Kershaw have been instrumental in schooling me for my role today.
What attracted you to horseracing?:
Attending the local point to point (Charm Park) and standing at the last fence as a small boy. We also enjoyed getting up to mischief in the betting ring. The speed and drama of racing got me interested from a very early age. I used to ride ponies around the farm and for a long time wanted to be a jump jockey but grew too tall so I played rugby (badly) instead.
Best bit about your job:
Racing provides a never ending flow of challenges and working with enthusiastic people who are up for those challenges.
Worst bit about your job:
Having to repair damage caused by senseless vandalism on the course. If only I could get hold of the culprits and their parents!!
Best racing experience:
The day Cosmic Case won on her last start at Musselburgh before going to stud. She had won 7 races at Musselburgh but was an outsider for her last start with conditions against her. However she would not be denied and won after a thrilling tussle over the final two flights of hurdles and for us at Musselburgh it was the same as Frankie completing his magnificent 7 against the odds on Fujiama Crest (spelling?). That is what makes sport so appealing.
Worst Racing experience:
Foot & Mouth year. Before FMD broke out we had experienced a horrible winter losing 4 out of 8 jump fixtures. We were 80k down on budget and not even 1/3 way through the season. We then had to spend another 10k+ to prepare to race during Foot & Mouth. Luckily though we were able to stage 8 additional fixtures but we were all absolutely exhausted by September. However it was worth it as we ended up ahead of budget showing a decent profit for the year all things considered. I hope we never have to go through it again though.
Racing Hero/Heroine:
Mick Easterby is some man and Claire Sheppard (Commercial Manager at Musselburgh) and Jock Whitelaw (Head Groundsman) who are the hardest and most committed workers I’ve ever worked alongside.
Most fanciable racing personality: There are some very pretty girls in racing but I prefer looking at the horses to find a winner - honest!
Hobbies:
Hill walking with my terrier preferably behind a pack of hounds in the Scottish Borders.
Favourite Film and TV programme:
I love watching a good film so I’ve got a few. Jaws and The Godfather are both big screen classics. The Great Escape because Musselburgh Races gets a mention in one of the epic scenes and Forest Gump because it is such a clever little film.
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