Why it may not be a good thing if Rust's BHA successor comes from within racing

The parallels are all too obvious between horseracing and Britain as a whole. The year's end will shape the future for each entity, with the repercussions sure to resonate for the rest of the decade.

Just as Britain's future trading arrangements will be determined by the December deadline for negotiations with the EU, so racing will anoint a chief executive to succeed Nick Rust at the BHA by the year's end. The new incumbent will go a long way towards defining how racing chooses to portray itself in the years to come.

Although the identity of Rust's replacement is some way off being determined, it has been encouraging to see that last week's announcement of his departure triggered widespread debate on the ideal type of person to fill his shoes. It is a debate that needs to be aired, although, perhaps not surprisingly, most professionals advocate a fellow horseman.