British horseracing chiefs agree to governance restructuring

British horseracing leaders have agreed on a new governance restructure at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in a move which will aim to support the sport moving forwards. Three new committees will be established, with the trio all feeding into the BHA board of directors. These include the commercial committee, the integrity advisory committee and the industry programme group. The restructuring was agreed on Monday morning following a Racecourse Association Extraordinary General Meeting. The commercial committee will oversee the work of the existing fixtures and funding group, racing group and gambling strategy group, as well as developing areas of the industry strategy with a commercial focus. The integrity advisory committee, which will meet quarterly, will advise the BHA board and make recommendations on matters relating to the integrity of the sport. Lastly, the industry programme group will contribute to strategy relating to horse welfare, corporate social responsibility, social licence and environmental sustainability. Each committee will be made up of key BHA executives, as well as representatives from the Jockey Club, Racecourse Association, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Thoroughbred Group. Julie Harrington, BHA CEO, said: “The agreement of a new governance structure is an important step along the road to developing an industry strategy to secure the future prosperity of racing in Britain. “This new structure will not only provide a platform upon which progress can be established, but also clarifies the BHA’s role as the sport’s governing body and regulator. “Acting on behalf of our members at the Racecourse Association and the Thoroughbred Group, I am confident that this structure will lead to better-informed decisions on commercial and strategic matters,” she added.