The Red Sea: how racing constituencies are projected to undergo a seismic shift in the battle for Number Ten
Jonathan Harding examines how Thursday's general election could change the landscape for racing
Conservative MP for Newbury Laura Farris was joined on the campaign trail recently by former prime minister David Cameron on a visit to Ed Walker's Lambourn yard, where they spoke with a number of racing's leading lights, including Nicky Henderson.
In a short video posted on social media, Farris described herself as a "staunch supporter" of the sport, which she labelled the "lifeblood of West Berkshire", while Cameron went further and spoke in glowing terms of British racing's major contribution to the UK as a whole.
It was a campaign stop illustrative of the industry's warm relationship with segments of the Conservative Party. In recent months racing-friendly MPs have ensured the sport's case has been put to ministers on a number of issues, most notably concerning affordability checks and the sport's levy negotiations with bookmakers.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inSpecial reports
Last updated
Copy- Can Jim Mullen steady the ship? New Jockey Club boss faces declining profits, falling crowds and hard choices
- 'Rachael will have lit a fire in the future generation of female jockeys' - exploring the Blackmore effect
- The shocking state of female changing rooms dubbed 'racing's dirty secret'
- ‘All you can think about is that smell’ - the shocking conditions inside Britain’s weighing rooms revealed
- Politicians and campaign bodies are playing fast and loose with gambling statistics - and racing could pay a heavy price
- Can Jim Mullen steady the ship? New Jockey Club boss faces declining profits, falling crowds and hard choices
- 'Rachael will have lit a fire in the future generation of female jockeys' - exploring the Blackmore effect
- The shocking state of female changing rooms dubbed 'racing's dirty secret'
- ‘All you can think about is that smell’ - the shocking conditions inside Britain’s weighing rooms revealed
- Politicians and campaign bodies are playing fast and loose with gambling statistics - and racing could pay a heavy price