The guillotine is set to fall on entries for the Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year for 2012.

The closing date for nominations from the independent sector was extended to June 8 to give managers more time to enter following the Diamond Jubilee weekend.

Now the clock is ticking down towards the end of the first stage in this year’s search for the retail industry’s champion, who will have a glittering programme of events ahead of them culminating in a VIP to Singapore.

Entrants for Betting Shop Manager of the Year 2012 have to get through four rounds, including interviews and visits from a “mystery punter” before eight regional finalists are selected.

Two independent managers will be selected from each of eight regions and they will join managers from the major companies who have been nominated by their bosses.

The 84 managers through to this stage will be whittled down to 48 via another question-and-answer paper. Those remaining will then be subjected to a mystery shopper visit before a final 24 are invited to Doncaster to spend a day at the races with the judges. From this, the eight regional champions will be decided and announced on SIS on 1st November.

Each regional champion, along with a key member of their staff, will attend the final selection at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London, which involves a question-and-answer session with the judges the day before the final on Monday, November 19 - a glittering lunch and awards ceremony where the overall winner will be crowned.

This year’s winner will be flown with his or her partner to Singapore where they will spend five days, four nights in a top hotel. They will be treated like VIPs, with corporate hospitality laid on by the Singapore Turf Club at the Singapore International Airlines Cup, the highlight of Singapore’s racing calendar which attracts the top runners from all over the world.

Download your entry form here or email info@sis.tv.