British Horseracing Authority | Horse Racing Free Tips

First Weatherbys ePassport Issued

The Weatherbys ePassport has gone live for the British and Irish Thoroughbred markets, with the first foal to be issued with its passport a colt by Calyx born on Feb. 14 at Julian Richmond-Watson's Lawn Stud. In the coming months, every Thoroughbred born in Britain and Ireland this year will receive its passport.

The Weatherbys ePassport is a single, secure platform for all regulatory and legislative requirements relating to identification, health, welfare, movement and ownership. Elements of the Weatherbys ePassport are already in use in Britain, Ireland and other jurisdictions. These include vaccination and movement functionality to support the British Horseracing Authority and Horse Racing Ireland with their 'Return to Racing' protocols last year. The same technology has also helped trace the movement of breeding stock, working alongside the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. As well as movement and vaccination functionality the ePassport now includes stallion, mare and foal registration functionality, medication recording, along with ownership updates and full identification details.

Brian Kavanagh, chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “The importance of the Weatherbys ePassport cannot be understated and we see it as a central part of the welfare and traceability strategy for Irish racing over the coming years.”

James Given, director of equine health and welfare for the BHA, said, “The vaccination functionality within the Weatherbys ePassport played an important role within the protocols that allowed for racing to resume last year. The additional functionality that comes with the full rollout of the ePassport will be vital for the traceability of Thoroughbreds–a central pillar of our Horse Welfare strategy.”

Claire Sheppard, chief executive officer of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, said, “The movement functionality within the Weatherbys ePassport was hugely important when it came to maintaining the movement and traceability of stock during the 2020 and 2021 breeding season as part of the TBA's Covid 19 protocols. The enhanced functionality within the ePassport will bring many more benefits to breeders and the Thoroughbred industry, and we welcome its introduction. We will be working closely with Weatherbys and breeders to ensure an effective rollout and application of this exciting new technology.”

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Youth Collaboration Group to Promote Careers in Racing

The Youth Collaboration Group, for young people with an interest in horseracing and marketing, was launched by the British Horseracing Authority on Thursday. Headed by Careers In Racing, the careers marketing arm of the BHA, the Youth Collaboration Group will give young people the chance to contribute their views and ideas about marketing initiatives and content used to promote careers within the industry. The group is open to anyone between 14 and 21 years of age with a keen interest in marketing, graphic design, social media, video content, events and communications. To apply to join the Youth Collaboration Group, please visit www.careersinracing.com.

Zoe Elliott, Head of Careers Marketing and Recruitment at the BHA, said, “It's important for us at Careers In Racing to make sure that whatever we produce–be that a careers video or careers event–is relevant to the audience it is aimed at.

“We want to build a team of young people who really understand what we are trying to achieve, and who can give us some honest feedback, and co-create some of our initiatives. At the same time, we want to support them in developing work-ready skills to enhance their CVs.

“This is a really exciting opportunity, and we can't wait to get started. Youth Collaboration Group is our working title for this initiative so the very first activity they be asked to give feedback on is the creation of a name and logo for their group. We hope that lots of young people get in touch to be involved.”

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Attendance Restrictions Set to Be Lifted From English Courses From July 19

England is on course to remove the COVID-19 enforced limit of attendees at sporting events from July 19, according to an announcement from the UK Government. A final decision on easing restrictions, which currently limits attendance to just 4,000 spectators at each race meeting, will be made on July 12. During Royal Ascot, up to 12,000 were allowed to attend through a Government pilot scheme. In addition to ending spectator limits, the one-metre social distancing rule will end, as will the compulsory wearing of masks.

“If we do find another variant that doesn't respond to the vaccines, if heaven forbid some really awful new bug should appear, then clearly we will have to take whatever steps we need to do to protect the public,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a press conference in Downing Street on Monday evening. “But on balance, given the massive success of the vaccine rollout, given the fact that this is a propitious moment, a good moment to do it given the coming summer holidays, the natural firebreak we have there, and given the difficulty of then imagining us opening up in the context of the colder autumn/winter months, I think this is a balanced and cautious approach.”

The Prime Minister's announcement affects only English racecourses, with both Scotland and Wales under their own specific lockdowns restrictions. Both the British Horseracing Authority and Racecourse Association welcomed the news.

“We are delighted to hear the Prime Minister's announcement today,” said BHA Chair Annamarie Phelps in a statement. “Monday 19th July will be a significant day for all sports, and very much so for British racing. This news comes as a huge boost to an industry which relies so heavily on its nearly six million racegoing fans each year. A day at the races with the wonderful atmosphere generated by our racegoers is an experience unlike any other. Everyone involved in our sport has been looking forward to this news for the last 13 months, and worked tirelessly and with great patience to safely keep the show on the road in this time.

“While racing is perfectly suited to spectators enjoying a sporting experience in a safe environment, it may remain the case that some protocols around the operation of sporting events for participants and officials remain in place in order to protect sports from the potential impact of positive cases and close contact self-isolation requirements, and permit international competitors. We are currently working with our industry colleagues to consider how this might apply to racing and how our racedays will therefore operate from 19 July onwards, and we await further clarity from Government. We also look forward to spectators being permitted to return to sporting events in Scotland and Wales in greater numbers in due course, and continue to engage proactively with the Devolved Administrations on this issue.”

RCA chief executive David Armstrong added, “It has been 476 days since British racecourses were able to welcome racegoers without restriction. Clearly this has been a difficult time for racecourses on both a commercial level, we estimate the pandemic has cost racecourses £400 million, and human level–we have deeply missed the atmosphere and presence of racegoers.

“The clarity provided by today's Government announcement is wonderful news for racecourses in England and we will continue to work closely with our industry partners and the devolved governments for an update from Wales and Scotland.

“With some of the sport's marquee events to come including the Qatar Goodwood Festival, York's Ebor Festival and the Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster, our attention now turns to helping racecourses prepare for a fantastic summer.

“Certain restrictions may remain in place to protect racing's participants, but we will work closely with our partners across the sport to remove these as quickly as is possible whilst maintaining their safety.”

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Wednesday UK Evening Fixtures Moved Up

Bath and Kempton have both had their Wednesday evening cards moved to earlier in the day to avoid a timing clash with England's Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Sunday. Bath was due to end at 8:35 p.m. and Kempton's final race was slated for 8:50 p.m. The semi-final match begins at 8 p.m.

“Having received applications from both The Jockey Club and Arena Racing Company, the BHA has approved the alternation of race times at both Kempton Park and Bath on Wednesday evening to avoid a clash with England's Euro 2020 semi-final match against Denmark,” the British Horseracing Authority said in a statement. “We wish Gareth Southgate and the England team the best of luck.”

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