Chairman handing over reins at Haydock Park (From St Helens Star)

Chairman handing over reins at Haydock Park

3:00pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News

BILL Whittle is to retire as chairman of Haydock Park Racecourse after 31 years as a guiding hand at what he describes as “one of the finest racecourses in the country”.

Course owners the Jockey Club announced today that Bill (70) will be succeeded by former amateur champion jockey Peter Daresbury (Lord Darebury) in May following the start of Haydock Park’s 2013 Flat season. Lord Daresbury will continue as Chairman of Aintree Racecourse.

A member of The Jockey Club since 1992, Bill Whittle joined the board of Haydock Park in 1972, becoming chairman in 1981. In doing so he continued and built on the strong Whittle family tradition at the course, which has been owned and run by The Jockey Club since 1978.

Bill Whittle said: “It has been the greatest privilege to serve as chairman of Haydock Park for more than 30 years.

“I am proud to say Haydock Park is one of the finest racecourses in the country and I am tremendously impressed and grateful to the teams that have taken it from strength to strength.

“During this time the support and investment provided by The Jockey Club has been very important in this journey."

Nicholas Wrigley, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, said: “On behalf of the Jockey Club I should like to thank Bill Whittle for his tremendous chairmanship of Haydock Park, where for more than 30 years he has overseen its continued success and development.

“Over that period he has helped to inspire racecourse managers and teams, enhance the quality of racing and develop Haydock into the successful friendly racecourse it is today. In the process he has added much to the Whittle family legacy at Haydock Park."

Peter Daresbury said: “I am immensely proud to be asked to succeed Bill Whittle as chairman of Haydock Park. In the last 30 years Bill has done an incredible amount for the course and racing in the North West.

“Once in post I very much look forward to expanding my working relationship with John Baker and his team who are running both Haydock Park and Aintree racecourses."

Lord Daresbury, left, will take over