Great British Racing

The Racing Together Webinar Series returns on Thursday, November 14 with a look back at National Racehorse Week and how it has become a community outreach success story. The webinar will be hosted by Sally Lyons from Great British Racing (GBR), who will be joined by guests including Richard Phillips, the originator of the idea of National Racehorse Week, and Fr33dom Zampaladus, the founder of the Urban Equestrian Academy. Representatives from New Beginnings and Yorton Stud will also take part in episode one of the series. The webinar will begin...

After a fierce battle throughout the season, Sean Dylan Bowen edged Joe Leavy by two victories to be named the British Champion Apprentice Flat Jockey for 2024 at Catterick Racecourse, Great British Racing announced on Saturday. Bowen rode 44 winners (13%) for the year, while Leavy was second on 42 and Kaiya Fraser made up third at 34. The wins were accumulated inside a set period of May 4- Oct. 19. The Irishman won an apprentice race at Doncaster in March, only his second ride since relocating to Britain, and...

Whether or not you liked the 'Bill and Ben' analogies of the Racing For Change days, or the removal of the Champion Stakes from Newmarket to Ascot, you cannot fail to like the man who played a part in some of these attempts to modernise and market racing: Rod Street.  This QIPCO British Champions Day - the 14th since the significant shake-up to the autumnal racing programme in 2011 - will be Street's last as CEO of British Champions Series. He stepped down from his role as CEO of Great...

Great British Racing's National Racehorse Week, which takes place from September 7-15, will see 130 venues across England, Scotland, and Wales open their doors over the course of the event as it returns for the fourth consecutive year. Ninety-one yards have signed up to participate in 2024, including those of Nicky Henderson, Charlie and Mark Johnston, David Pipe and Kim Bailey. "I'm a great believer that racing yards should open their doors to the public and National Racehorse Week provides us with a golden opportunity to push the curtains aside...

Royal Ascot is a week for stepping up, but there's a lot of stepping down going on in British racing. A power vacuum is heading the industry's way as leaders depart - voluntarily, or with a shove from within. Some are making delayed withdrawals (look out for a hell of a joint-leaving do this winter). The situations vacant columns however already feature the following appointments. British Horseracing Authority - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jockey Club - CEO Great British Racing - CEO Racehorse Owners' Association - CEO Joe...

A new communications campaign, HorsePWR, has been launched by British racing, designed to share and promote the facts around welfare in horseracing. HorsePWR will have its own dedicated website to provide information about the sport and the thoroughbred, the lives they lead and the high welfare and safety standards within racing. The website also explores the areas that racing has committed to improve, from reducing risk on and off the racecourse to better supporting horses when they leave the sport. The campaign has been led by the British Horseracing Authority...

Rod Street has announced his intention to step down from his role as CEO of Great British Racing (GBR) at the end of April. Street has led British horseracing's marketing body since 2010 but has plans to launch his own mentoring venture. He will continue in his role as CEO of British Champions Series Limited until later in the year. "It is my privilege to work in horseracing. I enter my 31st year in the sport in May this year and that time has been split evenly between senior leadership...

The third annual National Racehorse Week, from Sept. 9-17 in the UK, has been deemed a success after a record number of open days and community events, Great British Racing (GBR), who funds the initiative alongside the Racing Foundation and Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), announced on Tuesday. Over 15,000 free places were made available across the seven days across the country for the public to come and experience a day in the life of a racehorse. From training facilities and studs, to aftercare and rehoming centres, 209 different events...

Racing is Everyone's Sport is partnering again with Stonewall's Rainbow Laces for a second year to show support for the LGBT+ community in racing. Started by Great British Racing in 2020 with support from the sport's Racing with Pride network, Racing is Everyone's Sport aims to encourage and welcome LGBT+ participation in the sport of horseracing, bringing the racing community together to champion inclusion for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people. The Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign, Lace Up and Speak Up, will last from Nov. 25-Dec. 12. Jockeys and friends...

The first National Racehorse Week, a celebration of racehorses throughout the UK, will be held from Sept. 12-19. The aim is to highlight the levels of care provided by trainers and grooms and tout the equine athletes who make the sport possible. Henry Cecil Open Weekend in Newmarket and the ARC Malton Open Day start the week, with the Epsom and Middleham Open Days held on the second weekend. Trainers are encouraged nationwide to open their yards to the public. There will also be a programme of virtual events, as...

Organisations across British racing have united to improve diversity and inclusion across the sport under a unified "Industry Commitment". The Industry Commitment, which is part of British racing's COVID-19 Recovery Plan for British racing', aims to formalise the sport's approach to diversity and inclusion and builds on the extensive existing activity already taking place, including community engagement, education activity and charitable work. This is highlighted through the Racing Together platform which has already showcased over 80 initiatives. Organisations that have signed on to the Industry Commitment are: the British Horseracing...

The initiative 'Striding For More' was launched by Women In Racing on International Women's Day, Mar. 8. Its aim is to celebrate the vast range of roles occupied by women in the sport through a series of videos that feature 10 women from across the sport after working with Great British Racing and other industry groups. Some of the featured women include jockey Hollie Doyle, Aintree clerk of the course Sulekha Varma, broadcaster Alex Hammond, BHA raceday starter Sophia Upton, and history-making Khadijah Mellah. "You can never have too many...