Bath course walkers in the doghouse; Racing people: Focus on those at the heart of the action.

EARLY arrivals for this evening's meeting at Bath should not be surprised to spot clerk of the course Emma Marley inspecting the track with a going meter in one hand and a pooper-scooper in the other.

Newly appointed to the job, Marley has quickly identified a group of people who are making life uncomfortable for professionals using the racecourse facility - dog-walkers who fail to clean up properly.

She explained: "I've no qualms about people walking their dogs around the track. It's a beautiful and tranquil place, and there are public footpaths that cross the course in certain places.

"It's just that I'd ask those who do come here to pick up any mess their dogs make, as they would do anywhere else, in the street or a public park, for instance."

Marley, who took over recently when Tim Long was seconded to take charge of Ffos Las, added: "We have a dedicated team of groundstaff, who look after the course all year round to ensure it is in top condition for racing, and having to sidestep dog mess is rather unpleasant for the team, the jockeys and other footpath users."

Despite the unexpected distraction of having to put up signs reminding dog owners of their responsibilities, Marley, 29, is relishing her new role, after transferring from being commercial executive at Chepstow and Hereford.

A graduate in business management for the horseracing industry, she spent the summer of 2007 on the BHA graduate programme and did her placement with the BHA, before joining the Northern Racing group.

However, her destiny to be involved in racing was shaped even earlier, by spells in stables with John Spearing and Tony Carroll.

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Emma Marley: clean-up mission