Tasracing has appointed highly experienced and well-credentialled racing integrity official Heidi Lester to the newly created position of Chief Racing Integrity Officer.
Ms Lester comes to Tasmania from the Singapore Turf Club, where she is the Vice President – Racing.
Prior to that she was the Chief Stipendiary Steward at the Macau Jockey Club, the Integrity Partner at Cricket Australia and Racing Advisor and Senior Steward at the Korea Racing Authority.
Ms Lester also has experience in Australia, as the Chief Stipendiary Steward for Greyhound Racing Victoria.
Tasracing CEO Andrew Jenkins said he looked forward to Ms Lester starting in the position in the New Year.
“She will work closely with the inaugural Tasmanian Racing Integrity Commissioner and the soon-to-be established Racing Integrity Committee to set best practice integrity and animal welfare standards for the state,” he said.
Mr Jenkins said the Tasmanian Government’s legislative changes for racing reform would come into effect on 1 February 2025.
“Tasracing will become operationally responsible for all three codes of racing, including pre-race day and race day management, stewards, and animal welfare,” he said.
“We welcome this, and the reforms more broadly, that will provide the necessary oversight of racing welfare and integrity matters.”