OVER my 16 years working at Worcester Racecourse I have tried to build specific annual racedays on a variety of different themes.

I’ve looked to enhance our customers’ enjoyment of their day, promote local businesses and help raise money for worthy causes.

We held the fourth annual Macmillan Cancer Support race event on the charity’s national coffee morning day, an idea borne out of a small race sponsorship five years ago where I met Heather Elliott from Boots in Birmingham.

From that little acorn has grown a sizeable oak tree. Elliott and her colleague Simone Chatwin have worked tirelessly gathering prizes for the raffle and tombola and assembling the 1,250 goody bags which they offered for donations on the day.

Thanks to the fantastic support of so many racegoers, over £7,000 was raised for Macmillan and I’d like to thank all those who came along to the raceday despite the early morning rain and supported us with their amazing generosity.

Nigel Twiston-Davies has stepped up a gear with his winter jumpers already on great form.

At the last meeting, he sent two runners to the course and both won, giving him a tally of five victories in just four days.

The first was in the opening handicap chase when Little Pop, in the colours of Simon and Sarah Such, led from the front to win his third chase, beating Neil Mulholland’s gelding Full by a length.

Mulholland was just denied again by Twiston-Davies when Ballymalin beat Night of Noir by half-a-length in the novice chase.

Ballymalin is an interesting prospect. The Presenting gelding won three novice hurdles last winter and ran in the Pertemps final at the Cheltenham Festival in March where he came seventh.

His final outing of last season was in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices Hurdle at the Grand National Aintree meeting in April where he finished fifth of 11.

The highlight of our recent raceday was the further success story of the remarkable Hallings Comet, trained by Sean Lycett.

The horse has now won four races at the course this summer and came second the other time.

Bred and owned by Lord Blyth at Moreton-in-Marsh, Hallings Comet had been stepped up in trip to two miles four furlongs but this front-running type bowled along effortlessly to win on the bridle.

With just two fixtures to go at Worcester this year, we are really looking forward to Finals Day on October 25 and especially the £25,000 final of the season-long qualifying 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series.

The gates open for racing on Thursday at 12.20pm.