Julie Harrington: big decisions 'in the coming months' on reform to 2024 fixture list

A critical stage is being reached in tackling the most pressing aspect of British racing's industry strategy as proposals offering "so much innovation" are developed to revamp the 2024 fixture list to showcase the sport's premier events. 

British racing's leadership last autumn agreed on the need for a new strategy to combat critical issues such as internationally uncompetitive prize-money, concerns about the drain of equine talent abroad and downward pressure on field sizes and attendances. 

The strategy covers equine welfare, recruiting and retaining workforce, and improving the ownership experience. An industry programme board has been formed to oversee delivery.

However, decisions on the most urgent aspect of the strategy, the 2024 fixture list, are aimed for before the end of May.

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said efforts to progress the industry strategy were entering "an important and exciting phase".

She added: "We’re looking to make decisions in the coming months about the structure, presentation, and promotion of our racing product, including the fixture list, funding, and the race programme. There is scope for so much innovation and improvement in these areas.

“As part of this, we are looking at how we use the shop window of our premier events to grow the appeal of the sport to existing and new fans, really getting behind those parts of the sport that work well. 

"We are looking at how fixtures are distributed in order to ensure that our best fixtures are positioned in a manner which creates a more readily identifiable top end to the sport, presented in a shop window that engages customers, both existing and new, in a way which delivers tangible long-term benefits across the entire industry. At the same time we are looking at how we use our core fixtures to increase the engagement of racing’s existing customers."

Julie Harrington: looking to grow the appeal of the sport to existing and new fansCredit: Bryn Lennon (Getty Images)

Access to data from betting operators had proven to be a game changer, Harrington said, in giving insight as to how bettors behave.

She added: "We are only part way through the process but we are already doing things differently. Access to this data is a vital piece of our new armoury, allowing us to factor fan and bettor behaviour into our approach to programming fixtures and races. 

"Getting this right will result in a more competitive sport which is more appealing to fans, owners, trainers, the betting public and investors, and ultimately generating greater revenues which can filter down to our participants through prize-money."

Harrington said progress on strategy had only been made possible by changes to the governance structure of British racing. These gave the BHA power to make "difficult but strong decisions", she said.

A new commercial committee, made up of representatives of the racecourses and Thoroughbred Group, was formed last year to advise the BHA but when that body cannot agree the BHA board will be the final arbiter.

There have been fears that this could be where the new structure might fail. 

"There is no doubt that this governance structure will be tested when the big decisions have to be made," Harrington added. "As ever, some decisions will benefit some groups more than others and some decisions might impact on some parties in the short term. 

"However, in the longer term the objective is that everyone will benefit from an increasingly popular sport with a growing number of customers and investors. We are doing all we can to ensure that any decisions we make are fully thought through and the consequences understood. But the fact is that in order to progress the sport the BHA board will have to make difficult decisions."

Harrington said the commercial committee was operating well and she was confident the structure would allow progress to be made.

She added: "The strategy is an opportunity to shape racing’s future. We have an amazing sport, but we need to work out how to grow its appeal in order to increase engagement of our existing customers and to attract new audiences.

"We want to continue to have the best horses in the world bred, trained and raced here.”

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