BHA and GBR set to host first of four Industry Updates in Edinburgh

19 Apr 2015

• Updates to outline challenges faced by the Industry and how the Strategy for Growth will work to safeguard the sport’s future
• Audience invited to take part in extensive Question and Answer session
• Further events to be held at York, Newmarket and Newbury Racecourses

The first of four Industry Updates will take place at Edinburgh’s Radisson Blu hotel tomorrow, presented by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Great British Racing (GBR) with invited attendees from across the Racing Industry, including trainers, owners, media and racecourses.

The Update will take the form of a presentation by Nick Rust (Chief Executive, BHA) and Rod Street (Chief Executive, GBR) which discusses the progress made by the industry in the last 12 months, but more importantly outlines the major challenges which face the sport. It will also detail how the Strategy for Growth intends to work to meet these challenges to safeguard Racing’s future and make the most of the sport’s assets and opportunities for expansion.

Alongside the presentation will be a Question and Answer session, which will provide the attendees with the opportunity to ask questions Rust and Street or the other high-profile Industry figures who will be in attendance.

Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the BHA, said:

“We are excited to be hosting these events, which will become an annual fixture from now on. I am committed to ensuring that the BHA is open and transparent in our communications, and in touch with our participants. The Industry Updates provide the opportunity for us to outline what we see as the major issues facing the sport, while also gaining further feedback from those within the Industry.

“The Updates will provide some hard facts about the Racing industry which may not make pleasant reading. We are facing decline across a number of key metrics which, if not addressed, may jeopardise the sport’s long term future. It is for this reason that the Strategy for Growth has been instigated and the Updates will provide a status report on the Strategy’s activities and outline how important its progress will be for the long-term prosperity of the sport.

“Racing is blessed with incredible assets and there are so many opportunities for growth, however these opportunities will not be realised unless we come together as an industry. This will be a key message of the Updates – we have all seen what we can do when we act together, as illustrated by the progress made on the Racing Right. Now we must continue to work in unison in order to ensure that this great industry has a bright future.”

The Edinburgh date is the first of four Updates, with further events being held at York Racecourse on 21 April, then at Newmarket on Tuesday 5 May and Newbury on Wednesday 6 May.

Rod Street, Chief Executive of Great British Racing, said:

“Racing already competes successfully in a fierce sporting, betting and leisure environment. The challenges will not diminish, so we need to continue to innovate, retain our existing customers and reach new ones, if the sport is to thrive in the future. The work of individuals from the broadest cross-section of racing has focussed both on what our challenges are and created some interesting new opportunities for growth, which we look forward to sharing at the Industry Update.”

Notes to Editors

1. Over 1,500 invites were sent to participants of the Racing Industry for the four events.

2. Live tweets from the conference will be posted from @BHAPressOffice

3. It has not been possible to provide a live stream of the Updates.