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The rules of racing are in place to protect the welfare of horses, the safety of riders and the integrity of the sport with regard to the interests of the betting and racing public.
The BHA disciplinary team enforces these rules and discipline rule breaches in two ways:
Disciplinary resources
The following resources are all the tools you need to know about our disciplinary rules and proceedures, as well as how to find out the results of disciplinary measures we have taken.
On the Racecourse
On the racecourse, the responsibility for policing the Rules of Racing at the 1300-plus fixtures each year belongs to the Stewards. A Stewards’ Panel for a race normally consists of 3 people:
- 2 amateur Racecourse Stewards, approved and trained by the British Horseracing Authority and being unpaid and have no vested interest other than fair racing.
- 1 Stipendiary Steward, employed by the British Horseracing Authority.
The Panel is advised by a separate Stipendiary Steward, who presents the case to the Panel and questions the jockey and/or trainer in connection to a potential breach of the rules.
The Panel has at least four camera angles of the race to monitor the running and riding of all the horses. These views are: head-on and side-on views of the home straight, a scout view from the rear of the field and a further camera down the back straight.
The Panel watches the race live from viewing positions on the course and after the race review it in full with all the camera angles in the Stewards Room. In particular, Stewards are looking for possible breaches of:
The Stewards also have the power to dope test any horse after any race.
You can find the results of Racecourse Stewards’ Enquiries and Reports made by Trainers and Jockeys under Instructions H14, 15 and 24. These Instructions state that it is mandatory for jockeys and trainers to report to the stewards anything which has happened in a race which might have adversely affected the performance of a runner that they train/ride.
By obliging jockeys and trainers to report on why their horses may have run badly, stewards and punters are aware of any reason for a horse’s disappointing performance and any subsequent improvement in form.
Read our Guide to Penalties and Procedures which sets out the Racecourse Stewards' procedures following interference, running and riding and whip offences
Off The Racecourse
There are occasionally breaches of the Rules which take place away from the racecourse, which need investigating and prosecuting. As such the Disciplinary Department at Shaftesbury Avenue play an important part in the policing of the sport alongside their colleagues on the racecourse.
Responsibilities of the Off the Racecourse Disciplinary team include:
- Organising the training of the Racecourse Stewards
- Overseeing the appeals system
- Providing advice and assistance to trainers on the rules
- Convening Disciplinary Panel hearings.
In addition, Disciplinary department staff are responsible for running a monitoring system which exists to review races run and check for possible breaches of the rules of racing. Any case which may have been missed on the racecourse can be re-opened.
Some types of races are targeted for review (e.g. maiden races, large fields in handicaps etc) as well as a large selection of random reviews which are carried out.
The decisions of racecourse Stewards are also monitored to ensure consistency in their decision-making.
The Disciplinary Panel (none of whom are employees of the British Horseracing Authority) meets to hear appeals against decisions made on the racecourse and to hold enquiries into investigations carried out by our officials into possible breaches of the Rules of Racing.
Disciplinary Panel Enquiries into incidents which took place during the running of a race are open to the press. This step was taken to demonstrate the fairness and transparency of our system and to increase public confidence in our disciplinary procedures.
You can now read the Results of Disciplinary Panel enquiries.
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