Horse racing journalists, tipsters, jockeys and even some dodgy-looking trainers are queuing up to apply for the Rochdale council’s new Chief Executive of Betting Revenue.
Advertised inThe Racing Post at an annual salary of £185,000 and a percentage of winnings to be negotiated, the council has been inundated with applications from thousands of experienced punters.
Rochdale Council has created the post as a response to central government cuts to Rochdale’s budget.
“We have got to raise loads of money quite quickly before services start to suffer here in Rochdale,” said Imna Mugg, head of the Rochdale Council executive hunt committee. She said the council’s original idea was A whopping increase in domestic rates, but that fell at the first hurdle, public opposition.
“Then one of the councillors started whooping and shouting that his 16 to 1 came in at Pontefract and we knew we were on to a winner,” said Ms Mugg.
She said no one was going to complainabout the council cleaning out the bookies. “Once we have the right person in place,” she said while lightly tapping the side of her nose, we are going to make shedloads of money. It’s a certainty.”
One long-time portly Yorkshire horse-trainer, thought to be odds-on for the job, speaking while chewing his white handkerchief near the bookies enclosure at York Racecourse, said “I’m yer man…how much do you have in your pocket? Go back and put it on mine in the 1:45.”
“I’ll meet you in the Champagne Bar.” He said.
