'It's very challenging' - clerks stand down at Arena's two big northern tracks

Three days after watching son-in-law William Buick win the St Leger, Roderick Duncan has announced he is to stand down as clerk of the course at Doncaster, with James Armstrong also giving up the same job at Newcastle to leave Arena Racing Company with positions to fill at its two big northern tracks.

The two men are among the country's longest-serving clerks, with 34 years' experience between them.

Duncan, an ex-huntsman who paid for his own training before taking his first position at Southwell in 2007, is 60 and has been at the Doncaster helm for eight years.