Long-serving manager steps down with parting gift of new National on calendar

Jeannie Chantler will bring an end to nearly 19 years of service as general manager of Bangor on Friday with a race named in her honour.

Chantler, who will be 66 next week, will oversee her last fixture in a role she has held since February 2004, but she will continue as the track's owners and trainers' liaison officer – a position she holds at sister track Chester.

It will be an emotional occasion as she hands over the reins to Paddy Chesters, who has been head of gaming at Chester Race Company for many years.

The seven-race meeting at Bangor, which is subject to an 8am inspection on raceday morning due to the threat of frost, is scheduled to end with a bumper titled Thank You Jeannie Chantler Open National Hunt Flat Race. The 3m handicap chase at 1.30 is due to be shown on ITV4 alongside four races at Cheltenham.

"A box of tissues will be required no doubt and, although I desperately didn't want a race, they insisted on it," said Chantler.

"It's been a long time and we have the most fantastic team, many of whom have been there all the way through, and I'm leaving them in good hands.

"They already have a good relationship with Paddy, who has worked for the company for a long time and has jump racing at his heart."

One of Chantler's parting gifts has been the introduction of the North Wales National, which will be run for the first time on February 10.

Bangor: winner of the small racecourse of the year at the 2018 RCA awardsCredit: Nathan Stirk

"It's something I've been looking to do for a while," she said. "It's run over three miles and five furlongs at the right time of year and we got a sponsor in building company RPM."

Chantler nominated future stars such as Ballabriggs, Peddlers Cross, Amberleigh House, Silviniaco Conti, Denman and Mr Mulligan winning at Bangor as the highlight of her tenure, during which the track was awarded small racecourse of the year at the RCA awards in 2018.

"We've had so many really good horses who have gone on from winning their novice races at Bangor and that's what we've prided ourselves on," she said.

""Hopefully, that will continue with Le Milos having won here at the start of last month before going on to win the Coral Gold Cup.

"On the other hand, some of the worst memories have been caused by the River Dee and the risk of flooding. You don't want to be without the river as it allows us to keep reasonably good ground in the summer, but in the winter it can be a nightmare."

Chantler also expressed her delight at seeing Andrew Malam, head groundsman at Bangor for nearly 40 years, win the Racing Welfare Lifetime Achievement Award for the west region in October.

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