Opinion
premium

Joe Saumarez Smith will leave the BHA with a feeling of unfinished business - but nobody can doubt his efforts

author image
Industry editor
(From left to right) Martin Cruddace, Tom Goff, Joe Saumarez Smith and John Gosden met with officials at Downing Street to discuss affordability checks and the levy
Joe Saumarez Smith (second right) 'set the pace' on multiple issues according to former BHA chair Steve Harman

Joe Saumarez Smith's time as BHA chair went on both longer than expected and finished sooner than it was hoped. As ever with such positions, he will leave with a sense of unfinished business.

Saumarez Smith's tenure as chair was due to finish at the end of May but the deterioration in his health following a diagnosis of lung cancer in 2023 meant he has had to leave the role sooner than planned, stepping down with immediate effect last week.

It means he has spent a decade as part of British racing's leadership and, while he may have only had a little more than 30 months as chair of the governing body, there has been a lot packed into those two and a half years.

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
Subscribe

Already a subscriber?Log in

Published on inOn The Money

Last updated

iconCopy