Tag Archive for: Lord Allen

Lord Allen has far-reaching aims as he takes up BHA chair role

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Lord Allen has outlined his vision of turning British racing into “a modern commercial and cultural powerhouse” as he assumed his position as the new chair of the British Horseracing Authority.

Allen, who also offered his backing for the cancellation of next Wednesday’s racing in protest of proposed betting tax changes, believes that with the “right governance and ambition” the sport can realise its full potential.

In a statement, he said: “I am delighted the industry is coming together on September 10 to say ‘Axe the Racing Tax’. It is an historic step to cancel all racing on this date, but this will help us to explain just how concerned we are for the sport on many levels.

“Horseracing is a sport for everyone, not just for the few. There are 85,000 people dependent directly and indirectly on racing. The proposed changes would not only negatively impact many communities both rural and urban but would reduce our ability to be a world leader and the opportunity to have inward investment in the sector.

“Ensuring sustainable finances is essential if we are to support our participants, our workforce, our horses and our racecourses, and continue to engage our fans, owners, customers and the betting public.

“British racing is admired worldwide for its heritage, its quality, and the standards of integrity and welfare it upholds. My vision is not simply that we work to preserve this, but to develop British racing into a modern commercial and cultural powerhouse: a sport that commands attention on the global stage, attracts new audiences, inspires fans at home, supports its people, and continues to set the gold standard for the care of the horse.

“With the right governance and ambition, I believe this is possible and I look forward to working across the sector to achieve this vision.”

Allen was initially due to take up his role on June 1 but his tenure was delayed as he negotiated changes to make the BHA’s board independent of racecourses and the sport’s participants.

He added: “It is nine months since I was nominated for the role. In that time, I have had over 100 meetings with racing people. As well as industry leaders I met many frontliners for whom the sport is both a matter of professional pride and also a labour of love. I immersed myself in the industry so that I could truly understand the opportunity.

“There was a consistent agreement during my meetings that things needed to change if racing was to prosper, but often those I spoke to held the view that change needs to come from elsewhere in the sport rather than from their own segment of the industry.

“However, I hold the view that there are opportunities and requirements for change across the whole sport, and I believe that overall there is agreement and appetite for this.

“I am sincerely grateful to the Board of the BHA and its stakeholders that they agreed that change should start at the top and that we should have an independent board where everyone is focused on putting horseracing first rather than representing a vested interest.”

Lord Allen to start work at the BHA on September 1

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The British Horseracing Authority has announced Lord Allen will start work in his post as chair of racing’s regulators from September 1.

The Labour peer 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.

Following a meeting in London, where the BHA board met to discuss Allen’s response to the submissions of stakeholders regarding proposed governance changes, it was agreed that work should now start towards the establishment of a single independent board of directors, which will oversee a single BHA executive led by a CEO.

Lord Allen said: “I am delighted we have agreed to a process towards a new independent BHA board, and I look forward to formally starting in September.

“Horse racing has a strong future. There is work to do, but I am in no doubt as to the passion and commitment of the many thousands of people who make up our industry.”

Lord Allen proposals given full support of Jockey Club

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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.”