Racing staff week kicks off with 41 fixtures supporting the initiative

Racing Staff Week begins on Saturday and runs until the following Saturday, with all 41 of the fixtures staged in Britain during the period celebrating the Racing Welfare-organised event.

Racegoers will be shown a film on the big screens, with events and reward initiatives also planned – including Betfair Friday, when Doncaster hosts the 7f Betfair Clock Tower Cup for the fifth year, providing 12 members of stable staff with the opportunity to compete for their respective yards.

Racing Welfare: have organised Racing Staff WeekCredit: Julian Herbert

Newton Abbot will hold this year's renewal of the Betfair Racing Staff Week Cup, contested over 1m4f. All riders are raising money for Racing Welfare and have been nominated to ride by their respective trainers in recognition of their hard work.

The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) is sponsoring 30 yard barbecues this year in a bid to help trainers to bring their owners and staff teams together, while Careersinracing will be hiding 15 golden tickets, in the form of £100 vouchers, the geographical locations of which will be released via their social media throughout the week. The search is open to all racing staff, including racecourse staff and those in the breeding industry.

The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) are also getting in on the fun, repeating their successful photography competition again this year and asking staff working on studs to submit pictures in a bid to win cash prizes of £350, with runners-up receiving £150.

Dawn Goodfellow: 'We're also really pleased to see the week provide a platform for the launch of long-term initiatives which benefit the lives of those working in racing all year round.'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Dawn Goodfellow, chief executive of Racing Welfare, said: “It's fantastic to see so many rewards being laid on by racing’s stakeholders and the racecourses again this year. We're also really pleased to see the week provide a platform for the launch of long-term initiatives which benefit the lives of those working in racing all year round.

“At its heart, Racing Staff Week presents an opportunity to showcase the people behind the success of British racing and we are looking forward to a fantastic week of celebrations.”

Details of events happening throughout can be found at www.racingstaffweek.com.