British Horseracing Authority

Racing will not go forward in the UK on Monday, Sept. 19, due to the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Saturday. Everyone involved in British racing will then have the opportunity to mourn Her Late Majesty's passing. More information on the cancelled fixtures will be announced in the coming days. On Sunday, racing resumes in Britain, with the exception of Musselburgh, as The Queen is lying in state in Edinburgh.

Liz Truss was announced on Monday as Boris Johnson's successor as leader of the Conservative Party and thus British prime minister, and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) made a significant announcement of its own with the appointment of Greg Swift as director of communications and corporate affairs. Swift will join the BHA directly from his role as head of news and press secretary to the Foreign Secretary, the position in the British government which was until Monday held by Truss.  Described as "a keen horseracing fan", Swift has held a...

The heatwave forecast to hit parts of Britain on Monday and Tuesday has forced the abandonment of five race meetings across those two days. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed on Friday afternoon that Monday's fixtures at Beverley and Windsor, and Tuesday's meetings at Chelmsford City, Southwell and Wolverhampton would not take place in light of the unprecedented red warning for extreme heat issued by the Met Office. These five tracks all fall within or are close to the parts of southern, central and eastern England where the temperature could...

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has published its much discussed Whip Consultation Report, which, in a first for major racing jurisdictions, introduces the potential for a horse to be disqualified if a jockey has used the whip four or more times above the permitted level. The ProCush whip can be used seven times in a Flat race and eight times over jumps, and the current rules will be amended to restrict use for encouragement in the backhand position only.  Twenty recommendations were submitted by the Whip Consultation Steering Group to...

The summary findings and recommendations from an independent assessment of environmental sustainability across British racing and breeding were published on Tuesday. Commissioned by the Executive Committee of British racing and funded by the Racing Foundation to help support and inform, the report was commissioned to aid in the industry's long-term planning. Produced by White Griffin, it recommends that British racing takes a 'co-ordinated, industry-wide approach' to mitigating the risks and realising the opportunities related to climate change and sustainability. Several key points covered include carbon emissions, water availability, the impact...

Alison Enticknap was appointed the British Horseracing Authority's newly-created Director of Strategy and Change on Thursday. Enticknap will be the BHA's executive lead and help coordinate industry strategy with colleagues across the industry. Her appointment follows the news that the BHA, Racecourse Association (RCA) and Thoroughbred Group (TG) will work together on the development of a new industry strategy. The BHA is currently in the process of creating a new Strategy and Change Department as a result. That department will be responsible for programme management and planning, including oversight of...

The British Horseracing Authority's proposal to balance the racing programme and reduce it by 300 races for 2023 did not proceed out of review after the sport's Executive Committee voted on Wednesday evening. Racing Post first reported the news. The Executive Committee consists of BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington, and high-ranking members of the Racecourse Association and the Thoroughbred Group. Harrington released a statement explaining the decision on Thursday morning. The statement read: "The BHA retains the view that it is critical we take steps, as a sport, to deliver...

Leaders of the Racecourse Association (RCA), Thoroughbred Group (TG) and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will work together to set a mid-to-long term strategy, to help stakeholders align on a plan for the long-term sustainability of the industry. The strategy will look at areas including prize-money, the race programme--alongside the breeding industry and ensuring there are enough of the right horses to fulfil the race programme--equine and people welfare, the collection and use of data in the sport, the owner experience, integrity, customer engagement and the overall marketing of horseracing...

"There's too much racing." That is the familiar cry heard from most people connected to British horseracing. With that in mind, a potential reduction to next year's fixture list should be met with approval. Though that has been the case in many quarters, a leaked British Horseracing Authority (BHA) proposal on this topic has also ruffled a few feathers. The Racing Post reported on Monday that the BHA, in consultation with its fixtures and funding group comprised by racing's stakeholders, is working on a proposal to reduce the 2023 fixture...

Jockey Robbie Dunne has had his 18-month suspension reduced to 10 months after an appeal hearing in London. Dunne was suspended for conduct prejudicial to racing for his harassment and bullying of fellow rider Bryony Frost by the British Horseracing Authority Disciplinary Panel in December. His appeal was rejected by the independent appeal board, with the following conditions: The four breaches of Rule (J)19 originally found by the independent Disciplinary Panel have been adjusted to one overarching breach, which covers all offences Penalty reduced from 18 months suspension (three of...

British Horseracing Authority Chair, Annamarie Phelps, CBE, will not seek a second term in the role and will step down from the BHA Board at the conclusion of her term in May. Phelps will be replaced by BHA Independent Non-Executive Director, Joe Saumarez Smith. He will begin his new role once Phelp's term is up and will stay in that position until the end of his own term in September of 2023. Annamarie Phelps said, "Following discussions with the Board of the BHA I have decided not to extend my...

The three-pound COVID allowance for riders will be replaced with an across-the-board two-pound rise in the published weights, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed on Monday. In addition, the current three-pound back protector allowance will be raised to a general four-pound safety allowance for jockeys. These changes will go into effect for races staged from Monday, May 2, following further discussions with the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), National Trainers Federation (NTF), and a number of Flat and Jump jockeys. Horses will continue to carry the same weights that they have...