Craig Staddon has been appointed the new Chief Executive of Plumpton Racecourse, succeeding Dan Thompson who will be leaving Plumpton in February.

Staddon joins from Infinity Sports Travel and has a wealth of experience in the racing industry, including positions at two of Britain’s leading racecourses – Cheltenham and Ascot.

“I am very excited and honoured to be joining Plumpton Racecourse,” said Staddon, who will start his new role on January 30.

“Having been in the industry for over 15 years, working at both Cheltenham and Ascot Racecourses, I am really looking forward to bringing my passion, experience, and knowledge to what is already a successful course and building on what Dan Thompson and the team have already achieved.”

Staddon – a keen racing enthusiast who has experience owning horses in syndication – first worked in the industry as Racing Sales Manger at Cheltenham, a position he held for six-and-a-half years. He joined Ascot as Head of Sales in 2012 and remained there until joining Infinity Sports Travel in 2021.

Peter Savill, Chairman of Plumpton Racecourse, said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Craig Staddon as the new CEO of Plumpton Racecourse.

“Craig has the ideal experience in racecourse management to build on the outstanding job that Dan Thompson has done over the last five years, evidenced by the fact that our 2022 attendance set a new record.

“We look forward to continuing to grow our customer base and to improving the facilities for our racegoers.”