British racing needs leadership - not just strong governance

We often bemoan the complexities of the governance of horseracing and fantasise about a simpler structure where power is vested in one body – or person – which can then make things happen by waving its magic wand, avoiding all the messiness of racing politics. Conor Grant, the chair of Racecourse Media Group, covered these frustrations well in his Gimcrack speech in December.

We have had a period in the sport where a number of new racing CEOs and chairs have come in (or will soon come in), including the recent announcement that Jim Mullen will become CEO of the Jockey Club in June, around the same time that the incoming chair of the BHA, Charles Allen, will get his feet under the board table, with a new BHA CEO still to be appointed. They will no doubt soon recognise Conor’s frustrations if they haven’t already.

And we have the new, privately owned Professional Racing Association attempting to insert itself into the governance structure as an alternative to the Thoroughbred Group to take on the racecourses.