British Horseracing Authority

Newsells Park Stud's David Porter-Mackrell was named the Employee of the Year at the 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, at Ascot Racecourse on Monday. The gala marked the 20th anniversary of the awards, which was attended by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and hosted by ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin. The event, celebrating the contribution of racing's workforce to British racing, saw a total of £128,500 in prize money handed out across six categories. With Newsells the last 15 years, head stallion man Porter-Mackrell was nominated by...

After appealing the British Horseracing Authority (BHA)'s ruling regarding his licence last week, former trainer Milton Harris has now withdrawn that appeal, the BHA confirmed on Wednesday. Harris had his licence suspended in November and withdrawn in January by the BHA's Licensing Committee. The agency ruled he was not a "fit and proper person" to hold a training licence. Regarding the BHA's concerns, the Licensing Committee said, they surrounded "the nature and extent of MH's admitted breaches of the conditions which already exist on his licence, which were imposed in...

Former trainer Milton Harris, whose licence was suspended in November and withdrawn in January, will appeal the decision of the British Horseracing Authority's Licensing Committee, a BHA spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday evening. The BHA Licensing Committee's verdict stated in January that he was not a "fit and proper person" to hold a training licence. Originally, his licence was suspended by the BHA in November pending January's hearing, with the BHA's stance, "a result of a breach of the conditions on his licence and related matters". A spokesperson for the BHA...

Trainer Paul Nicholls has led the tributes to Keagan Kirkby, the amateur rider who tragically died after a fall at Charing point-to-point on Sunday. In a statement released by the Injured Jockeys Fund, the 14-time Champion National Hunt trainer, with whom Kirkby was based, described Kirkby as "one of our best, hardworking lads." Nicholls said, "Life is so hard sometimes, winners totally insignificant compared to what has happened today. Sadly, Keagan Kirkby, one of our best, hardworking lads lost his life today riding in a point-to-point. All at Team Ditcheat...

Milton Harris has been ruled not to be a "fit and proper person" to hold a trainer's licence in written reasons issued by the British Horseracing Authority's Licensing Committee. The Warminster handler was found to be in multiple breaches of his licence conditions, with the BHA citing his "misconduct in his dealings with others, including fellow licence holder Mr Simon Earle" and "concerns in respect of safeguarding arising out of MH's conduct with young persons employed at his racing yard". Harris, who had an enforced absence from the training ranks...

After the required 100,000-signature mark was reached on a petition to review the proposed implementation of affordability checks, a debate on the subject will be held on Feb. 26, the British government's Petitions Committee announced. The petition was originally launched by Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale. British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chief executive Julie Harrington said in a statement, "We are pleased that the important issue of affordability checks will now be subjected to proper levels of parliamentary scrutiny. "The fact that our survey reached the required 100,000 signatures threshold...

A partnership to encourage international initiatives and working practices between the Japanese and British and Irish horseracing industries was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Japan Racing Association (JRA) on Friday. The creation of the Joint Cooperation Committee is to serve as a formal platform for members within the British and Irish horseracing industries to engage with their counterparts in Japan via the JRA. It will consist of agreed representatives from key shareholders in the respective territories including the BHA, HRI, Racecourse Media Group...

Premier Racedays, an undertaking by British Racing to market and promote racing's best racedays, will launch with the New Year's Day fixture at Cheltenham, the first of some 170 such programs to be staged in 2024. Premier Racedays is part of a two-year series of changes with the aim of growing British racing by 'increasing engagement among new and existing customers, improving revenues across all areas of the industry, promoting investment in the sport through the recruitment and retention of owners, and encouraging the best horses to be bred, trained...

An updated version of the Safeguarding and Human Welfare Strategy was published by the British Horseracing Authority on Wednesday. The Strategy, covering a four-year period, seeks to protect and promote the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in the sport. These objectives are supported by a comprehensive action plan, which includes:   Enhanced safeguarding and human welfare education for industry leaders, employers and employees, with specific training around sexual abuse and misconduct Refining reporting mechanisms, simplifying the existing referral processes and ensuring appropriate support for those reporting allegations Improving how...

Mixedwave (Ire) (Gentlewave {Ire}), a winner at Market Rasen last week, has become the first horse disqualified under the new whip regulations in 7,903 races through Nov. 26, 2023, according to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Ridden by Alex Edwards, the Pam Sly trainee was struck 16 times, nine above the permitted number of strikes. Edwards has been suspended for 24 days from Dec. 12-23 and Dec. 26-Jan. 6.  Edwards was found to have used his whip "without giving his mount time to respond from approaching the third-last flight." The...

A survey for trainers and stable staff, commissioned by the Industry People Board, has been launched by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). The aim is to improve recruitment, skills, and retention of staff in the British racing industry. The appropriate racing industry staff will shortly be contacted by Public Perspectives to give their views on the survey, which is funded by the Racing Foundation, and delivered in partnership with the BHA, the National Trainers Federation (NTF) and the National Association of Racing Staff (NARS). The survey will also provide feedback...

The G3 Horris Hill S. and the G3 St Simon S. have both been rescheduled for early November, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed on Friday. Both races were set to take place at Newbury on Oct. 28. That meeting was abandoned. The St Simon will now be staged on Friday, Nov. 3 at Newmarket, with the Horris Hill taking place at that venue the day after. Original entries for both races have been cancelled and entries for these replacement races will now close at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 31....