Marley on the move

CONGRATULATIONS to Ayr racing manager and clerk of the course Emma Marley who has been appointed head of raceday operations with the BHA.

Marley, who has been at Ayr since 2010, moves into her new position in April, which means she will have five more meetings to oversee with the two-day March fixture her swansong.

Her new job sees her having responsibility for the management of various raceday regulatory teams including racecourse inspectors, starters, clerks of scales and judges. In addition the role will also involve racecourse licensing, point-to-point racing and the BHA’s relationship with Arab racing.

Marley’s successor as clerk of the course is Graeme Anderson who knows the track like the back of hand as he is currently head groundsman.

Best wishes go out to Tyrone Williams as he recovers from a stroke. After a decent career as a Flat jockey, the Welshman reinvented himself on the borders flapping circuit where he developed a cult following.

His biggest success came in the 1997 Ebor on 33/1 chance Far Ahead when the combination pipped Frankie Dettori-ridden Media Star by a neck.

There is a charity dinner at Hawick Rugby Club in March when some of the proceeds will go to Tyrone’s rehabilitation. It should be quite a night at Mansfield Park as Keith Dalgleish and Iain Jardine – two of the town’s famous sons – are among the guest speakers. NOBODY has impressed me more, before and after Christmas, than Selkirk’s Rachael McDonald. She made her name under Rules with hunter chaser Pena Dorada but her reputation rocketed skywards when she steered Harry The Viking to victory for her boss Sandy Thomson in the Borders National.

McDonald was again praised to the high heavens by Thomson after she produced another stellar effort from the saddle on Rowdy Rocher at Ayr on Tuesday and afterwards the Greenlaw trainer revealed he intended to persuade her to turn professional and take out a conditionals licence. I HEAR three-time champion lady amateur Carol Bartley has moved from Jim Goldie’s yard to Keith Dalgleish. Carol’s husband Gary is currently out working at the Dubai Carnival and when he returns she will move from part-time to full-time yard person. Don’t forget to check out our Twitter feed (@ScottishRacing) and scottishracing.co.uk for all the latest news.