British Horseracing Authority

Mark Johnston, Britain's winningmost trainer, gives up an update on some of his stable stars and shares his thoughts on the BHA's Review of the Buying and Selling Practices of Bloodstock and Racehorses.

The British Horseracing Authority is working its plans for a return of racing off a June 1 resumption date that will begin with a meeting at Newcastle, it revealed on Thursday evening. The governing body had released further details on Wednesday of its plans for the first seven days of racing's return, including dates for the season's first four Classics, without a concrete start date, but a release on Thursday began, "Following the UK Government's publication of a provisional timeline for the return of sport, we are now planning for...

The minimum prize money amounts allowed under the Rules of Racing for the first 10 weeks of British racing have been published, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Thursday. After a £15.7 million contribution from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), racing's leaders have agreed to minimum values which will exceed, on average, 80% of the previously permitted minimum levels, with an emphasis of supporting prize money levels at the middle and grassroots level of the sport to retain as many owners and horses-in-training as possible. Group 1 Flat races...

In its latest update on Wednesday, the British Horseracing Authority's Flat Pattern Committee revealed that plans remain for the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 1000 Guineas to be staged on June 6 and 7, respectively, while the G1 Investec Derby and G1 Investec Oaks are both set for Saturday, July 4. The G1 Eclipse S. will take place on July 5, and Royal Ascot remains on its original dates of June 16 to 20, though some changes to the order of races "will be confirmed as soon as possible." The...

The British government released its timeline for the potential resumption of sporting events on Monday, and in its Our Plan to Rebuild, cultural and sporting events conducted behind closed doors-like racing-are part of the second step of lifting the current coronavirus restrictions and would resume no earlier than June 1. The news was welcomed by British horseracing's executive committee comprised of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the Racecourse Association, The Racehorse Owners' Association and the National Trainers Federation, who are "committed to plan for resumption on June 1st," according to...

Musselburgh Racecourse has been granted another temporary license by the British Horseracing Authority in the hopes that it can get a deal done with Chester Racecourse to take over its operation, Racing Post reports. The Scottish course's previous temporary license expired on May 1. A joint statement from the BHA and Musselburgh owner East Lothian Council read, "The extension has been approved in order to give sufficient time for the complications that have arisen in the deal to appoint a third party operator due to the coronavirus pandemic to be...

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has issued an update from the Flat Pattern Committee which outlines a revised schedule of Pattern and Listed races for the end of May and early June. With the aim to "prioritise the Classics and other flagship races for horses most likely to provide a future fundamental role on behalf of the breed", the committee, working under a "best-case scenario" for a mid-May resumption of racing in Britain, is planning to rescue a number of abandoned races from the early part of the season. These...

The British Horseracing Authority over the next week will draw up a provisional programme for the first seven days of racing's resumption, with that resumption date yet to be determined. In a release on Thursday, the BHA said it will then publish the remainder of the provisional programme up until the end of June. Racecourses were this week invited to submit expressions of interest to stage fixtures upon racing's return, which will help with the development of the provisional programme. Racing's resumption will be based on a phased approach, and...

After some British trainers, among them Ralph Beckett and Mark Johnston, called for the resignation of British Horseracing Authority CEO Nick Rust due to his handling of British racing during the COVID-19 crisis, the Board of the BHA released a statement in support of Rust and his team on Sunday afternoon. The Sunday Telegraph first reported the trainers had written to the BHA's Chairwoman Annamarie Phelps requesting Rust's resignation. Rust will be leaving his position as CEO of the BHA at the end of the year. The BHA's statement read:...

A Guineas meeting in early June and the Derby and Oaks run in early July feature in the British Horseracing Authority's "best-case scenario" planning for a resumption of racing. With racing currently suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the season's first four Classics have been delayed from their usual slots in the calendar. However, the sport's Resumption of Racing Group is working to draw up provisional plans for when racing is able to return, with "a phased approach" to racing behind closed doors anticipated in the immediate stages. In...

The suspension of British racing will continue beyond the initial May 1 target date for resumption, the British Horseracing Authority confirmed on Wednesday. The BHA did not provide a new objective start-up date, but said plans are in place to allow the sport to resume as soon as possible, and that its plans continue to allow for resumption in the month of May if possible. Racing in Britain has been off since Mar. 18. With restrictions on mass gatherings likely to continue for some time, the BHA says racing with...

The British Horseracing Authority will next week review the resumption of racing recommendations established by the COVID-19 Racing Industry Group's Resumption of Racing Group. The Resumption of Racing Group was created to forge a government-approved plan which would allow the industry to resume racing on daily basis in controlled phases when government permits. "Everyone's first duty at present is to the health and safety of the public, as the government has made clear," said the Chief Operating Officer of the BHA, Richard Wayman. "That will clearly be the most important...