Betting shop manager of the year Lorraine Archibald hitting the right notes

Each regional champion in the Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year chooses a song for when they walk up to the podium to receive their front-page memento, and it seemed appropriate that I’m Still Standing rang out for Lorraine Archibald, all the more so when it was played a second time as the room rose to cheer her victory last Monday.

“I’d simply made it through the complete journey of the process,” she explained later at her choice of Elton John’s track. “The experience at the Carlton Tower was fantastic, all the regional champions felt the same.”

Within a few seconds of the news breaking her phone went crazy. “All the shop team, customers, colleagues and social media people were overjoyed for me,” she said. “Northern Ireland is always so supportive of its own, we have a lot of pride.”