Although the 60 courses throughout Britain are all individual in size and topography, all must adhere to common standards set by the British Horseracing Authority in order to obtain a licence to race. The Racecourse Department therefore plays a vital role in the ongoing monitoring and improving of participant safety, welfare and workplace standards across British racing.

Tony Goodhew, as Director of Raceday Operations & Regulation, oversees the Racecourse Department as well as a large number of Officials acting on the Racecourse.  

Common standards are set down in the ‘General Instructions to Racecourses’ which cover the following topics for which racecourse have to meet strict licence conditions:

• State of the track
• Marking of courses
• Running Rail
• Winning Post
• Steeple Chase Fences
• Hurdles
• Hazard Warnings / Course Direction Markers, By-passing of obstacles
• Racetrack floodlighting
• Facilities for Integrity Services
• Stable Yard and Horse Box Park
• Racecourse Stables
• Canteen and Hostel
• Stewards’ Boxes and Room
• Judges’ Boxes
• Weighing Room
• Winners Enclosure
• The Paddock / Horsewalks / Saddling Boxes
• Starting Arrangements
• Medical Facilities
• Veterinary Facilities
• Sampling Unit

 The Racecourse Department in Shaftesbury Avenue administers the racecourse licensing process and coordinates and prioritises necessary action points based on the regular racecourse reports compiled by the team of four Inspectors of Courses.

The Inspectors of Courses are all former jockeys, which the BHA views as vital for the role: knowing how a course rides gives an invaluable perspective on the siting of a fence or the layout of running rail on a bend.

Their role is primarily a regulatory one, ensuring that standards are met. However, with the experience they have the team is also often asked for advice by Clerks of Courses on areas such as turf management, fence construction and course configuration.

The Racecourse Department is at the centre of many of the industry’s racecourse research and development projects (such as the Turftrax Going Stick, new hurdle designs and irrigation best practice) and manages the synthetic (All Weather Track) surface protocol when manufacturers wish to obtain the necessary approval for their surfaces to be used on licensed racecourses. All new plastic running rails also have to undergo standard testing overseen by BHA before they can be approved for use on British courses. The Department also has significant input into the approval of major infrastructure refurbishments or rebuilds, which in the past few years have included projects at Doncaster, Kempton, Aintree and Ascot as well as 10 brand new stable yards. This ensures that the facilities used by racing’s participants and professionals are of the required standard. The Department also has key input into policy projects which all have welfare or integrity implications, often necessitating liaison with e.g. the Security and Veterinary Departments. These include upgrades of racecourse stabling and enhanced CCTV, start initiatives and the provision of electronic scales in weighing rooms. The Department also produces ad hoc industry responses to major raceday incidents or issues arising. One such report being undertaken at present is a full scale technical review of Summer Jumping.