'Let's do it for Jim' – Race Club focused on 2022 return

Yet, the Guernsey Race Club are determined to get it into shape for the big race day to return to the common in 2022 – and for an extra-special reason.

‘We owe it to Jim,’ said Trevor Gallienne, club president, who along with the whole racing fraternity locally was hugely saddened by the death of the sport’s de facto leader and most popular face, Jim Jamouneau, earlier this summer.

‘There is no question – we are duty bound to do that, but it is not going to be easy,’ Gallienne said yesterday.

‘Absolutely we want to do it for him... that is what is driving us.’

There has now been no racing at L’Ancresse for two years but it is scheduled to return on the first bank holiday next May.

‘Ideally we want to return to racing in Guernsey next year.

‘We’re pretty determined to do that, even though the course is going to be a hell of a challenge.

‘We are determined that we will sort it all out, fill the rabbit holes up – we might have to have an island-wide rabbit hole fill or something like that to get things moving to start with.

‘Obviously the course needs fertilising and it does need a lot of work, but I think a lot of people want to come back to Guernsey and race.’

Gallienne said it is not just the rabbits that have caused the circuit to be in the sorry state it currently is.

‘It has been decimated by rabbits, but also the crows, which have ripped up the finishing straight.’

Gallienne said the Guernsey meeting is also missed in Jersey.

‘Every time I come here [Jersey] people are saying that, you know, we’d like to see racing again next year so I think we’d have some decent support.’