LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Shutthefrontdoor ridden by Tony McCoy waits with other horses and riders to start the 2015 Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on April 11, 2015 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Race timings will come under the spotlight as part of review

PICTURE: getty

BHA aim to shake up race planning approach

BY PAUL EACOTT2:47PM 27 AUG 2015

THE BHA on Thursday launched a formal consultation to determine if an alternative approach to creating the race programme can be developed.

The authority plan to liaise with members of the Horsemen’s Group and the Racecourse Association in an attempt to create a race programme that will better benefit horsemen, racecourses and the wider industry.

The aim of the review is to evaluate existing methods used to create the race programme with the intent of delivering an enhanced programme for participants and one that supports the sport’s key growth areas.

BHA chief executive Nick Rust said: “The benefits of delivering improvements to the race programme include a reduction in race clashes and gaps, better use of the available horse population, improvement in field sizes, retention and growth of horses in training, and the delivery of more competitive and compelling racing.

“As part of the industry’s strategy for growth we have set the target of adding 1,000 new horses in training by 2020. This consultation paves the way for us to be able to strike the right balance between staging the most appropriate racing opportunities for the horse population, whilst ensuring the race programme sets out aspirational career pathways.”

All horsemen and racecourses are urged to take part and are asked to respond to the questions laid out in the consultation document by October 5 through their relevant representative body. These include the Racecourse Association, Racehorse Owners Association, National Trainers Federation, Professional Jockeys Association and Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Once responses from industry participants have been received, a working group will be created to refine feedback from the wider consultation and make recommendations to be presented to the executive committee for deliberation.

At Newbury on September 29 and York on September30 the RCA will be holding workshops to guide racecourses through the consultation. Representatives from the BHA will liaise with the NTF to arrange attendance at NTF Flat and Jump Council meetings, in addition to organising ad-hoc gatherings with trainers in the training centres during the consultation.

fonte : RacingPost