BHA To Examine Race Planning

The British Horseracing Authority has launched a consultation with stakeholders to explore alternative approaches to race planning. The BHA will liaise with the Horsemen’s Group and Racecourse Association throughout the consultation, with the intent being to evaluate existing methods of race planning and deliver an enhanced program that supports the sport’s key growth areas.

“This consultation is an important opportunity for us to review and develop the methods used in the creation of the optimum race program to suit horsemen, racecourses and the wider industry alike,” said BHA Chief Executive Nick Rust. “The benefits of delivering improvements to the race program include a reduction in race clashes and gaps, better use of the available horse population, improvement in field sizes, retention and growth of horses in training, and the delivery of more competitive and compelling racing.”

Rust added, “as part of the industry’s Strategy for Growth we have set the target of adding 1,000 new horses in training by 2020. This consultation paves the way for us to be able to strike the right balance between staging the most appropriate racing opportunities for the horse population, whilst ensuring the race program sets out aspirational career pathways.”

Horsemen and racecourses have been provided a consultation document to express their views. Once the responses from those industry participants have been received, a working group comprised of stakeholders will be create to refine the feedback and make recommendations.