Comment: ownership strategy offers a meagre return for £1.25m

There is no doubt the ROA and others involved in the Industry Ownership Strategy approached their work with the best of intentions, but the documents obtained by the Racing Post paint a picture of an organisation out of its depth and failing to deliver crucial elements of a plan critical to racing's future success, despite expenditure of levy funds totalling £1.25 million.

Over the three years the ROA piloted the strategy on behalf of British racing, numerous presentations and documents were produced illustrating the problems with ownership and outlining initiatives to make owning racehorses more rewarding, more engaging and more accessible to newcomers.

One of the areas highlighted in today's coverage is a prime example of what the plan was supposed to deliver. A comparison website for prospective owners to select trainers is a no-brainer. It would allow newcomers to readily compare costs, locations, facilities, records and reviews, making the process of selecting a trainer more similar to how we select and buy anything else online.