Lord Allen proposals given full support of Jockey Club

The Jockey Club has thrown its support behind proposals from intended new chair Lord Allen to make the British Horseracing Authority’s board fully independent in future.

Allen was due to take up the role on June 2 but his tenure was delayed as the BHA said he wished to “continue meeting stakeholders to better inform his vision for the sport”.

The BHA board currently has an independent chair, four independent directors and four member-nominated directors – two from the racecourses and two nominated by the sport’s participants – but Allen wants to change that arrangement.

Racecourses’ ownership of media rights and fixtures is reportedly one of the sticking points for a proposed governance shake-up, but Jockey Club CEO Jim Mullen feels that while further discussion on such matters is necessary, it would be to the sport’s benefit to create a “stronger regulatory body”.

He said: “Without a strong regulator it’s not possible for any sport to thrive and that’s why we are fully supportive of Lord Allen’s proposals for a fully independent BHA Board.

“There are still details on certain issues which will need to be thrashed out in time and to expect everyone to agree on everything would be unrealistic at best, a potential barrier to meaningful change at worst.

“We recognise that ownership of media rights and fixtures are extremely important to the profitably of racecourses and that’s where we are aligned with small and large independent courses and RCA members.

“However, we don’t believe that those views are incompatible with our strongly held opinion that British racing requires a fully independent regulator which is empowered to drive change, not only to benefit the sport now but for generations to come.

“We’re supportive of the consultative approach that Lord Allen is taking and the importance he has placed on taking counsel from those across the sport before forming an opinion. Ultimately, whether Lord Allen takes up his role or not, a process has started which we think has the very real potential to create a stronger regulatory body.”