BHA risks British racing's reputation if Lord Allen turns down role, warn industry figures

British racing risks damaging its future and its reputation if it is unable to convince Charles Allen to take up the role of BHA chair, leading industry figures warned on Sunday.

Sir Philip Davies, an owner and former Conservative MP, and Chris Wright, the business tycoon and longstanding owner-breeder, expressed concern at Lord Allen’s decision to delay his tenure as BHA chair while he further investigated racing’s governance model.

Allen, a Labour peer and City veteran, was selected as the new BHA chair last November and had been due to start on Monday, but the BHA announced on Friday that this had been pushed back to an unspecified date.