Champion Thoroughbreds’ Racing Manager Emma Guymer sits down with us to talk about life as a racing manager for a leading syndicator and what her role entails.
Growing up as the daughter of two trainers, deciding to work in racing was a natural decision for me. When I was a teenager, we moved to Bart Cummings’ Princes Farm property where my dad worked, then managed for a number of years. A career in racing was the logical career path given my love and passion for the industry.
After completing a cadetship with Racing NSW when I was 21, I worked in various departments at the organization including training, registrations and marketing. After 3 years with RNSW I wanted something a little more hands on in the industry whilst still being able to use my admin skills.
Not long after that, the Racing Manager job for Champion Thoroughbreds was advertised and here I am, three years later!
The most important part of being a racing manager is making sure the racing stable runs efficiently. A few of the tasks we do every day is assisting the trainer, being a point of contact for owners and suppliers, and entering horses into races. Each day is drastically different, which is what I love about the job.
Generally, I get in the office between 5 and 5:30 a.m. and answer any emails received overnight. A couple of times a week I’ll head out to track work to get some updates on the horses or film the jump outs, which immediately get sent to the owners. Before 9 a.m. I’ll process race nominations/acceptances and finalise any jockey bookings as required.
The rest of the day varies. I’m either updating the website and social media platforms, attending the trials or races, coordinating horse movements, or organising upcoming events such as open days. I’m also often on the phone to owners, completing general paperwork such as registration paperwork, or processing the monthly accounts. There is certainly no shortage of things to do!
One of the most difficult parts of my job is managing owners’ expectations, especially after a horse doesn’t run as well as expected. But the best part of the role is when our horses cross the line first and we get to celebrate in the winner’s room!
If you are thinking of joining the racing industry, I highly recommend it.
Racing NSW have really developed their industry training over the past 5 years. If you want to get involved in racing and unsure where to start, contact the Racing NSW training department and enquire about starting a course or ask for some career advice. There is plenty of demand for workers in the industry and it is easy to get involved. I if you’re like me and love your job, you’ll bounce out of bed every morning and roll into work looking forward to the day ahead!
