Racecourse picks management team

Construction work on the racecourse started in 2007

The operators of Chepstow Racecourse have been chosen to manage a £20m new racecourse in Carmarthenshire.

The Ffos Las course near Trimsaran is due to become the first National Hunt Racecourse in the UK for 80 years when it opens in the summer of 2009.

Northern Racing own nine courses in the UK, including Hereford, Sedgefield, Newcastle and Bath.

Managing director Tony Kelly said they aimed "to attract good quality competitive fields."

The course is being built on the site of a former opencast mine and will include a grandstand for up to 1,000 spectators.

Northern Racing will act as partners with course owners Ffos Las Racecourse Ltd.

Mr Kelly said their operation would cover managing racing, commercial activities and non-race day events.

"There is a very clear brief on the type and quality of racing that will be staged at the track," he said.

"There are a large number of trainers in that part of the world and coupled with the likely runners coming over from Ireland we aim to attract good quality competitive fields."

Dave Walters, chairman of Ffos Las Racecourse and Walters Group said Northern Racing would work with them as operating partner "to develop the facility to its full potential".

He added that construction work, which started a year ago, was ahead of schedule.