It's not all about the money as three stable staff members enjoy Worcester

The Racing Post is highlighting the role played by stable, stud and racecourse staff during Racing Staff Week. On Wednesday, Andrew King paid a visit to Worcester to speak to stable staff members about their day out working at the races.

It has been a diet of early mornings and late nights followed by an afternoon in the sun at Worcester for 19-year-old groom Danielle Gwynne, but nothing can spoil her enthusiasm, with a midnight finish on Tuesday evening before a 5am start to Wednesday unable to wipe the smile off her face.

And Gwynne, who works for trainer Katy Price is also in the money as she has just pocketed £50 for the best-turned-out prize, as Out for Justice looks a picture in the parade ring before the 2m7f handicap chase as he bids for his third consecutive success this summer. It's Danielle's second best-turned-out prize in 24 hours as she picked up another £50 at Stratford on Tuesday evening.

No wonder she is all smiles, as she says: "I wouldn't swap my job for anything as I love everything about it. I started mucking out at Katy's yard after two years at Hartpury College studying for a Level 3 extended diploma in horse management, and could not even plait a horse's mane a year ago.

"I'm out in the fresh air and when the sun is shining like this afternoon it makes everything so much better, but even in the winter when it's cold and raining I still love the game. At some stage I might think about getting a job as a head lass in one of the bigger yards, but for now I'm happy."

Gwynne might have won the best-turned-out prize, but 18-year-old Jemma Sargent has travelled up from Colin Tizzard's yard in Dorset and is leading up Shoal Bay in the same race. She fancies her chances of coming out on top.

Work cut out

Sargent certainly has her work cut out as Shoal Bay looks keen to get on with things, but she sends him on his way to post with conditional jockey Jonjo O'Neill jnr now in charge of trying to curb the horse's enthusiasm.

Sargent says: "Some people in my sort of job are not happy with the travelling side of it as it means a long time in the horsebox, but I love it. One day you are in Cheltenham and a couple of days later it's Ayr, so you actually see plenty of the country. What's not to like?

Sargent comes from a racing background as she is the niece of former Flat rider Tim Sprake, and adds: "I would like to be an amateur jockey at some stage as I have ridden in point-to-points but no winners. I have had six rides and been placed four times and pulled up on the other two occasions."

As Gwynne and Sargent cheer their respective horses on all the way up the home straight it is Shoal Bay who comes out on top as he manages fourth spot behind winner Wilberdragon after showing a tendency to jump left.

Out For Justice, despite the assistance of Richard Johnson, fails in his attempt to make it a quick hat-trick, finishing sixth.

Will Biggart was hoping for a better result. For the past five years, Biggart has been an important cog in the wheel at Charlie Longsdon's base near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, acting as travelling head lad. Here he is leading up Barton Rose for the trainer in the opener on the card.

Wilberdragon (near): gave the Charlie Longsdon yard and travelling head lad Will Biggart a deserved winner at WorcesterCredit: Alex Livesey

However Biggart, 26, is in the same bag as Gwynne and Sargent as Barton Rose is eventually pulled up by Paul O'Brien, but just like Jemma and Danielle, his love of horses is what keeps him motivated in a sport where the rewards for stable staff are often labelled scant.

He says: "It's not always about money as I simply love my job. Yes the early starts are a bit of a pain sometimes and some like to complain, but now we have a 40-hour week it means that we get two afternoons off every week and sometimes weekends which suits me fine."

Biggart may have been out of luck with Barton Rose, but Wilberdragon provides the Longsdon yard with a victory in the very next race on the card, and Will is quickly on hand with buckets of water to help douse down the horse as he is led back to the winner's circle.

Gwynne, Sargent and Biggart are the unsung heroines and heroes who are instrumental in keeping the racing show on the road for 365 days a year, and all three are returning home to another early start and maybe another late finish. The show must go on.

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