Racing’s crisis intensifies with tracks on verge of civil war after Allen quits BHA

A grouping that includes most of Britain’s major racecourses on Tuesday fired the opening shot in what could prove to be a civil war involving the country’s tracks, following confirmation by the British ­Horseracing Authority earlier in the day that Charles Allen had resigned from his position as chair of the sport’s ruling body after just six months in the role.

Jockey Club Racecourses, which controls a significant number of high‑profile tracks ­including ­Cheltenham, Aintree, Epsom and Newmarket, issued a joint ­statement with four of the biggest “independent” courses: Ascot, ­Newbury, York and Goodwood shortly after Lord Allen had issued a statement of his own, confirming his departure.

The racecourses’ statement made it plain that the major tracks were supportive of Allen’s plans for a fully independent BHA board, the first step in what he saw as a plan to turn the sport into “a modern, commercial and cultural powerhouse”. This, in effect, directed the blame for his departure directly at the sport’s smaller tracks, and in particular those owned by Arena Racing ­Company, which run mainly lower-grade ­meetings to serve the off-course betting market.

“Ascot, Goodwood, the Jockey Club, Newbury and York racecourses have today written to the chairman of the Racecourse Association,” the statement said, “calling for a formal governance review of the RCA [and] requesting a proposal for reform by the end of April 2026.”

The objective of the review, the statement added, should be to ensure that “board and voting repre­sentation is balanced and credible”, that “­significant views from key ­racecourses can influence outcomes” and that “the organisation can act decisively on matters ­affecting the wider industry”.

The statement makes it clear that Britain’s major racecourses feel their interests do not carry sufficient weight in RCA deliberations, with an unspoken but implicit threat that they could quit the association and operate independently if their ­concerns are not addressed.

Allen’s departure became inevitable following a dispute over an obscure but potentially crucial aspect of the BHA’s relationship with racecourses.

The authority supplies its ­raceday data, on information such as ­non‑runners and off-times, for a nominal fee to racecourses, for ­bundling with live pictures and other significant data which is owned by the tracks for sale to off-course ­betting operators.

Representatives of the ­Racecourse Association initially refused to ­provide a final sign-off on Allen’s plans for an independent BHA board until they had received cast‑iron ­assurances that the price of the raceday data would not increase ­significantly after the current ­contract expires in 2028.

When Allen eventually agreed to provide such assurances, it quickly became clear that he no longer enjoyed the support of the sport’s stakeholders from participants, including owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.

What the major tracks’ statement makes plain is that the RCA’s refusal to sign off on an independent board was driven by Arena Racing ­Company and its allied tracks, which can command a ­majority under the RCA’s traditional one-track, one-vote governance system.

“In calling for reform,” the statement said, “the signatories are ­making it clear that they remain committed to working collaboratively across the sport [and] support strong central leadership for British racing by the BHA, enabled by the establishment of an independent board.”

Allen had hinted earlier at frustration that his time at the BHA had come to a premature conclusion. “Horse racing is an amazing sport with great potential and over the last year I have met some incredibly passionate people who love the sport,” he said, “who believe to survive and prosper that change is needed. I also want to pay tribute to the hard­working and ­dedicated BHA team. I wish the sport well for the future.”

The search now begins for a successor to Allen willing to take on the challenge of heading up a sport that has struggled for unity for decades.

Several bookmakers issued lists of possible runners and prices, with Star Sports suggesting that Ben ­Wallace, a defence minister in the last ­Conservative government, was the 4-1 ­favourite, with the BHA’s interim chair, Julia Tyson, next in the list.