The first round of judging for this year’s Racing Post/SIS Betting Shop Manager of the Year has now been completed, with the top 32 managers selected.
After the nominated managers completed a marked question paper, our judges had the tough job of whittling the pool of nominations down to 32. These selected managers will now undergo a mystery shopper visit, with 16 progressing to the next phase.
Those 16 will then attend a day at the races in Nottingham in October, where they will meet the judges for the first time. From this group, eight finalists will be selected.
The chosen finalists, accompanied by a key member of their shop team, will then travel to London for the final selection to choose this year’s winner, which includes a question‑and‑answer session with the judges the day before the final.
The journey concludes at the November awards lunch, where the new 2026 champion will be crowned and invited to attend several major racing and betting events throughout their year.
The competition, established in 1988, was won last year by Tracey Mooney of William Hill in Prestwick.
Final 32 managers
Aundrea Augustine, Paddy Power, Hounslow; Scott Beattie, Ladbrokes, Bangor, County Down; Mark Boycott, Betfred, Reading; Thomas Brown, Betfred, Darlington; Nicola Connaughton, BoyleSports, Enfield, County Meath; Nathan Conroy, Paddy Power, Dublin; Mark Cookland, Ladbrokes, Bradford; Mark Dodson, Betfred, Huddersfield; Mark Drysdale, William Hill, Glasgow; Cathy Eaglen, William Hill, Stirling; Marrianne Eley, Coral, Bellshill; Mark Fanning, BoyleSports, Thurles; Robert Fullard, William Hill, Sheffield; Gemma Grundon, Coral, Carlisle; Vanessa Johnson, William Hill, Thirsk; Emilia Klimowicz, Paddy Power, Watford; Nikolas Krunic, Ladbrokes, Bournemouth; Simon Lippitt, William Hill, Leamington Spa; Hasan Mahmud, Coral, Woolwich; Eleanor Matthews, BoyleSports, Denton; Raihan Mitho, Betfred, Stratford, London; Michael Parke, Betfred, Preston; Emma Richards, William Hill, Codsall; Joe Robinson-Hale, William Hill, Liverpool; Katie Rolph, Betfred, Newmarket; Scott Samuel, Jenningsbet, Portsmouth; Alexander Thomson, Betfred, Leicester; Simone Thorley, Jenningsbet, Cwmbran; Chris Vause, Coral, Goole; John Volney, Ladbrokes, Shaftesbury; Ben Walker, Jenningsbet, London; Joanne Wilson, Paddy Power, Boston.
