Funding cuts decimate horse race meetings

The scale of the funding crisis in British horseracing became clear on Tuesday after the sport’s governing body announced plans to scrap 10 per cent of race fixtures next season.

The British Horseracing Authority said it would publish the 2011 fixture list on September 23, two months late, and that 150 fixtures would be suspended. They can be reinstated only if affected racecourses and the Horsemen’s Group, which represents owners, trainers, stable staff and jockeys, come up with self-funding solutions.

Horseracing is suffering from a sharp fall in the annual horseracing betting levy, which provides prize money and is crucial to the livelihoods of trainers, jockeys and stable staff. The BHA says the levy has fallen by a third in two years and is forecast to be only £70m this year.

The levy is a statutory duty on bookmakers to provide a percentage of their profits to the racing industry.

However, bookmakers are increasingly moving their businesses offshore to reduce their levy payments.

The Horserace Betting Levy Board last week said it could provide prize money for 1,300 race meetings next season, but two out of four Saturday fixtures would have their funding cut by half.

Ruth Quinn, BHA racing director, said more difficult decisions would have to be taken: “Once the number of fixtures is set, we can then begin to look at minimum prize-money values and the race programme, though this in itself will be a further challenge with the current forecast levy yield of £70m inadequate and unsustainable.”

BHA insiders said the 150 affected race fixtures were due to take place between January to April, and were made up of jump meetings and all-weather meetings.

Paul Fisher of Jockey Club Racecourses, which operates 14 racecourses including Cheltenham and Aintree, said it was clear racecourses would be “in for some pain”.