Racecourse Association chief: clearing of Saturday shop window fixtures is '98 per cent there'

Racecourse Association chief executive David Armstrong says that work to identify the fixtures to be moved out of prime Saturday afternoon slots during a two-year trial is "98 per cent there" and that he hopes that no meeting will be moved against the wishes of a particular track.

The de-congestion of around two thirds of Saturday afternoons in the 2024 fixture list to allow the sport to showcase its best racing is a key part of the strategy approved by the BHA board on Tuesday as part of the premierisation of racing in Britain, with the top tier set to be run for increased prize-money. 

Other components announced on Thursday include pruning of the programme book to be more in line with the horse population, as well as the trial staging of six meetings on a Sunday evening.