LISA HANCOCK TO BECOME A DIRECTOR OF CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

Cheltenham today announced that Lisa Hancock, who is shortly relinquishing her post as Managing Director of Newmarket in order to spend more time with her young family, has agreed to become a non-executive Director of Cheltenham Racecourse.

Lisa, who was appointed Managing Director at Newmarket in October, 2000, has two children, aged three and a half and 16 months respectively. She joined Jockey Club Racecourses (then RHT) in 1994 straight from the British Horseracing Board graduate programme and has been with the group ever since, during which time she has worked at Warwick, Huntingdon, Aintree, Haydock Park and Newmarket. Jockey Club Racecourses also owns Cheltenham.

Commenting on this appointment, Lisa Hancock said: "I'm thrilled and honoured to have been asked to join the Cheltenham Board. Cheltenham Racecourse is a special place with a unique atmosphere run by a first-class team, and I hope that the knowledge and experience I have gained at Newmarket and elsewhere can help me to make a contribution to the future of this wonderful racecourse.

"Naturally I'm sad to be leaving the home of Flat racing, but I am looking forward to getting involved at the home of jump racing, albeit at board level rather than in a full time capacity."

Cheltenham's Chairman, Lord Vestey, added: "Lisa is someone who is held in the highest esteem by everyone within racing and her energy, knowledge and vision will, I'm sure, be of huge benefit to us at Cheltenham. I'm delighted that she has agreed to join our Board."

For further information, please contact Andy Clifton, Cheltenham's Communications Manager, on 07876 330090 or 01242 537 683

Notes to Editors: Cheltenham Racecourse is part of the Jockey Club Racecourses Group. The current Directors are Lord Vestey (Chairman), Michael Curley, Michael Henriques, Christopher Hodgson, Charles Lloyd-Baker, Robert Waley-Cohen, Edward Gillespie (Managing Director) and Sheila Handley (Finance Director).