British Horseracing Authority

After a fixture-related funding package was confirmed by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the 2021 UK fixture list from January through April was announced by the British Horseracing Authority on Wednesday. The confirmed dates for all fixtures involving Pattern races was also published alongside provisional dates for the rest of 2021. (Click for the Excel or PDF versions of the fixture list, Pattern races, and provisional fixtures.) The fixture list was developed with a view to maximising revenue for the sport and participants, while safeguarding participant welfare and taking into...

The Racehorse Relief Fund (RRF) has been started by the Racehorse Owners Association on Wednesday. The fund is a last resort to support the needs of racehorses whose owners are suffering financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications for the RRF opened on Oct. 14 and is part of a package of measures agreed and announced in April by the leadership of racecourses, horsemen and BHA. It will be initially funded by the Racing Foundation. "This is about protecting horses and livelihoods," said ROA Chief Executive Charlie...

A united approach regarding Levy reform has been agreed upon by the British Horseracing Authority and other industry leaders. Involved parties, among them racecourses, horsemen and the BHA met at the BHA Members Committee meeting last week and agreed upon the creation of a new steering group with regards to Levy reform which would analise all the options available as the COVID-19 pandemic continues alongside the economic downturn. Joe Saumarez-Smith will chair the new group which meets this week. The group will work alongside the BHA's Public Affairs team. Other...

After a weekend of intensive testing of GAIN's equine feed ranges, batches and individual ingredients, progress has been made in the investigation into the presence of Zilpaterol in the contaminated feeds, the company announced late on Monday evening. The synthetic beta-agonist Zilpaterol, approved for use as a performance-enhancer in some beef production systems outside the EU, was found in some positive tests on horses that had consumed GAIN products in France last week. GAIN stressed that Zilpaterol has never formed part of any formulation in any GAIN animal nutrition ranges....

After the abandonment of the Oct. 3 card at Ascot, four of those races have been rescheduled, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Monday. The G3 Cumberland Lodge S. has moved to York on Oct. 9, while the G3 Bengough S. will take place there on Oct. 10. The Listed October S. has been transferred to Goodwood on Oct. 11 and rounding out the quartet, the Listed Rous S. has moved to Nottingham. Entries for the Cumberland Lodge, Bengough and October will close on Tuesday, with the declarations 48 hours...

Six meetings have been designated next summer for the Racing League, Britain's team contest that will see £1.8-million distributed in prizemoney. As part of the Racing League, 12 teams consisting of two to four trainers, three jockeys and 30 horses will compete in 36 races across the six meetings and accrue points for their finishing positions. Each race in the league will be worth £50,000. The team that has gained the most points at the end of the competition will win the league. The meetings for the Racing League will...

Owner/breeder Philip Freedman has been named the new Chairman of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) charity, the British Horseracing Authority and RoR announced on Tuesday. Freedman, part of the sport's tripartite Member's Committee as the Chair of the Horsemen's Group, succeeds Paul Roy. His term will begin on Jan. 1, 2021. "I am delighted to be taking over as Chair of Retraining of Racehorses," said Freedman. "As someone who has spent much of their life working with horses and within the racing and breeding industries, I recognise the importance of ensuring...

The return of spectators to British sporting events has been put on hold due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, a development that racing's tripartite leadership bodies described as "a serious blow to the horseracing industry and to the people and communities who depend upon it for their living." Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated the hold could last "perhaps six months." Warwick Racecourse hosted 500 spectators for its jumps meeting on Monday, and it was the second time a British racecourse has had fans since racing resumed...

Reciprocal arrangements on participation by runners trained in international jurisdictions were announced jointly by the British Horseracing Authority and Horse Racing Ireland on Monday. Beginning on Oct. 1, internationally-trained horses will be permitted to participate in all British races other than Class 5 and 6 handicaps/classified stakes on the Flat and Class 5 handicaps over Jumps. All such runners will be subject to the relevant government regulations. The same arrangements will also be introduced in Ireland on Oct. 1. The Irish Rules of Racing will continue to state that "a...

The process for how trainers declare staff to attend the racecourse using Racing Admin will change on Sept. 18, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Monday. There will be a new Declare Staff section on Racing admin which will include the staffmember's: Health status (green / amber / red) Questionnaire status for that fixture (sent / completed / not sent) Questionnaire Last Completed date (to help calculate a 7-day validity) Also, the new area will give the ability to declare staff immediately after making a declaration to run, up until...

Effective Monday, Sept. 7, Phoenix Thoroughbreds cannot have runners in races in Great Britain until further notice, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Thursday. Phoenix had earlier in August made the decision to leave UK racing and was reportedly banned from racing in France a few days later. Any horse currently entered will not be permitted to be declared in its current ownership. All racing administration accounts of all registered ownership entities that involve Phoenix Thoroughbreds have been suspended. The BHA is in regular correspondence with Phoenix Thoroughbreds, and after...

Southwell, which has suspended jumps racing, will have its next three fixtures transferred to other tracks, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Tuesday. The Sept. 15 card has moved to Hexam, while the Oct. 1 card will instead be held at Ffos Las. Lingfield hosts the Oct. 22 fixture. The three cards will all consist of seven races apiece and be similar to those originally programmed. For more information, go to www.racingadmin.co.uk.