Barnett brought in to represent top racecourses

Some of British racing's most important racecourses have appointed former Ascot chief executive Charles Barnett to represent their interests in the sport's corridors of power.

The Large Independent Racecourse Group, which comprises of Ascot, Ayr, Chester, Goodwood, Newbury and York, has given Barnett the title of secretary general.

While the six courses last year held 153 meetings between them, the equivalent of 10.3 per cent of the fixture list, the total prize fund they provided of £33.5 million was 25.3 per cent of the industry total and their attendance of more than 1.8m people was 30 per cent of the total.