Racing content and data services provider Sports Information Services (SIS) has confirmed that it will be extending its current greyhound offering to ‘temporarily replace the British horse racing fixtures’. As part of the extension, effective from 23 March, SIS has committed to increasing the number of greyhound races in its schedule to 532 races per week, an increase of 54 …
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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has begun its search for a new leader, after Nick Rust confirmed that he will end his Chief Executive tenure at the end of the year. A former Ladbrokes executive, Rust was appointed BHA CEO in November 2014, becoming British horseracing’s first leadership appointment from the betting sector. Upon taking charge of the BHA, Rust was …
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In collaboration with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) will carry out a four-week trial of non-standard race times which will be held in February 2020. Non-standard race times refers to races not programmed on the standard 5-minute marks (e.g. 3:08pm). The trial seeks to explore the potential benefits to the sport and its customers of adopting …
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Historic UK racecourse and greyhound track Towcester is due to close down after its owners have confirmed they will be selling its remaining fixtures to Arena Racing Company (ARC). The racecourse, which entered into administration in August of last year, was sold to Fermor Land LLP after a period of ‘trading difficulties.’ The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has since confirmed …
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Releasing its annual report and accounts for 2018, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA)’s chief executive Nick Rust explained that the ‘the BHA’s mandate to regulate independently on equine welfare was regularly questioned’ as it has been ‘challenged on multiple fronts.’ The report, released yesterday, includes a foreword from both Rust and new BHA chair Annamarie Phelps. Rust explained that while …
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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed that Shaun Parker – Chief Stipendiary Steward for the National Horseracing Authority of South Africa based in Durban – has been appointed as its new Head of Stewarding. The appointment, which follows on from a lengthy, extensive global recruitment process, will see Parker take responsibility for the management of the BHA’s stewarding team, …
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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed that it will be making minor cuts to the upcoming 2020 fixture list, despite a number of concerns over long-term betting levy contributions. As the anticipated number of betting shop closures is expected to hit levy contributions hard, the BHA has been placed in a difficult position of maintaining a balance between the …
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In a move to deliver further education on integrity measures in horse racing, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has launched an online Integrity Education Programme. The new programme seeks to offer both the racing and betting public additional information on integrity across the industry as a whole, with the purpose of ‘offer protection against potential integrity threats and help to prevent participants …
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British horseracing stakeholders have had to urgently initiate a plan of action following the recent Horserace Betting Levy Board’s (HBLB) announcement that estimated Levy income for the year ended 31st March 2019 will be some £78m, a fall of £17m from last year. News of the fall in yield were presented to racing’s HBLB representatives, Andy Clifton from the Racecourse …
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The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has committed itself to a funding round of £1m in a bid to prevent gene doping in the sport, after experts have warned that it could present the “dawn of a new era.” The funding, which is expected to cover a five-year programme, will help develop detection methods to prevent gene doping. The detection methods …
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