Simon Cox has formally taken up the chairmanship of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), setting growth, governance and funding as priorities for British racing.
In a statement issued on 1 October, Cox said his longer-term aim is to attract new racing fans while retaining existing audiences. He also wants to expand domestic and international viewing and betting audiences, sustain racecourse attendance growth, encourage breeding and ownership and draw investment into the sport.
Cox stated: "Having seen six consecutive quarters of attendance growth, it is clear that racing retains its popularity and its well-established place in the British public’s collective conscience. The foundations exist on which to strengthen our position as a national institution and as a world leader in racing and sport.
“My long-term priority is growth for British racing. This needs to feature the right mix of attracting new fans and retaining our existing ones, attracting domestic and international viewing and betting audiences, continuing the rise in racecourse attendances, and incentivising racehorse breeding and ownership and attracting investment into the industry."
His immediate focus will be on governance, a shared industry strategy and defending and improving racing’s funding.
Cox said he intends to shift attention away from internal negotiations towards how racing presents itself to audiences.
The new chair went on to acknowledge pressure on the foal crop, betting, ownership and revenue streams. He said efforts to grow racing must be supported by standards for horse and human welfare, integrity and regulation. Those measures, he argued, are necessary to maintain the confidence of participants, investors and the public.
The priorities place betting alongside attendance and media audiences as potential sources of growth, while leaving the detail of any policy changes for later discussion.
Cox said he would work with stakeholders across the sport and provide clear leadership from the BHA on the decisions ahead.
In related news, the BHA recently engaged a recruitment consultancy during its search for a chair after David Jones took the role on an interim basis. Recent work on the sport’s governance includes nine appointments to the independent Judicial Panel, while a commissioned study of Welsh horseracing’s economic impact could provide evidence for future discussions with policymakers.
Cox is a racehorse owner and breeder and has served on the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s board of trustees
