LAST week’s race meeting at Taunton was the last fixture that Georgie Robarts will be officiating at as Clerk of the Scales, a role she has performed at the Orchard Portman course since 1995.

Since then Georgie has carried out the same duty at many of the south west racecourses and on occasions further afield, and she will be retiring completely from the job at the end of the Cheltenham Festival where along with Royal Ascot and the Grand National she has officiated for many years.

Clerk of the course Jason Loosemore said: “Georgie is well known on the racing circuit and even though her job is one of the most important on race days she has always gone about it in a quiet and calm manner and gained the respect of all of the jockeys and everyone she has worked with. Georgie is due to retire after the Cheltenham Festival this year and she goes with the thanks and best wishes for a happy retirement from everyone at Taunton.”

To show their appreciation all of the jockeys who were riding that day turned out after the fifth race to make a presentation to the retiring clerk of the scales.

Taunton next race on Monday, March 14, when the first race on the card which is worth a very generous £56,000 goes to post at 2pm.

The big race is The William Hill Stayers Hurdle Top Price Guarantee Handicap Steeple Chase ( Class 3) over three and a half miles which has a prize pot of £16,000.

Punters are reminded that a courtesy coach service departs from Taunton Railway Station 90 minutes before the off returning half an hour after the start of the last.

For all further information log onto www.tauntonracecourse.co.uk

Taunton race again on April 7 which is Ladies Day when the action on the course is due off at 2pm and April 21 when the first race goes to post at 5.23pm.

With the Cheltenham Festival starting on Tuesday local trainer David Pipe is pinning all of his hopes on Adagio in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) at 3.33pm on the opening day.

The five year old bay gelding joined Pipes Yard in the autumn of 2020 since when he has had eight runs over hurdles, three of which he has won and came second in the other five, earning a total of £134k.

Pipe said: “He ran well in the Kingwell at Wincanton and all we want now is a clear run to the Champion Hurdle.”

He added: “He’s in good form at present - Honeysuckle will be difficult to beat but we could finish in the places if he improves a bit more for his run at Wincanton which I think he will.”

Jockey Tom Scudamore who will be on board at Cheltenham said: “ Adagio goes Cheltenham with a good each way chance. I have ridden him every time I rode him last time out at Wincanton when he came second but on another day he could have won.”

The jockeys at Taunton last week turned out in force to show their appreciation when Clerk of the Course Jason Loosemore (green jacket) presented Georgie Robarts with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne to mark her retirement.