British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chief executive Julie Harrington said in a statement, “We are pleased that the important issue of affordability checks will now be subjected to proper levels of parliamentary scrutiny.

“The fact that our survey reached the required 100,000 signatures threshold in just 27 days is powerful testament to the strength of feeling shared by bettors over the proposed checks. This has today been recognised by the Petitions Committee.

“No other form of leisure activity is subjected to the kinds of restrictions being proposed by the Government and so it is right that MPs have the chance to forensically debate this issue.

“The BHA and other racing stakeholders will work with MPs on both sides of the House to ensure that the views of British racing and those who bet on the sport are properly represented within the debate.

“While we support the need to protect individuals from the risk of gambling-related harm it remains the case that millions of people enjoy betting on horseracing without suffering any ill effects.

“The BHA will therefore continue to push for changes to the Gambling Commission's proposals on affordability checks to protect the sport's financial future and limit the impact on racing bettors.”

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The news came on the back of an announcement of increased prize-money of £60.1 million across the 334 fixtures due to be staged by the Jockey Club in 2024. Of that, £31.8 million will come from Jockey Club funds, referred to as “executive contribution”, representing a 66.5% increase across the last decade.

In 2023, the Jockey Club's executive contribution was projected to be £31.1 million with total prize-money of £59 million for 342 scheduled fixtures, subject to abandonments.

As well as prize-money, a total of £11.7 million has been included in the budget for the next 12 months for the upgrading of facilities. 

.”It's really important to us at The Jockey Club to continue to be transparent in sharing details of our business performance with industry participants and stakeholders,” said the Jockey Club's chief executive Nevin Truesdale in announcing the intention to share financial information with the Thoroughbred Group, which represents breeders, owners, trainers, stable staff and jockeys.

“By agreeing to extend this commitment to provide the Thoroughbred Group with more information around our revenues and costs, we are seeking to drive critical industry collaboration to work together to grow the sport, while also providing a clearer picture of the challenges we face as a racecourse operator.”

He added, “Given the unprecedented financial headwinds the horseracing industry is currently facing, we are pleased to be able to announce today that the Jockey Club's executive contribution to prize-money will be increased to £31.8 million in 2024, taking our overall prize-money past the £60 million mark for the first time.

“Our mission is to power racing's future and to ensure that our sport thrives for generations to come. That would not be possible without our participants and all those whose jobs not only help British racing prosper but rely on the industry.

“So, while we continue to take important steps to improve our business efficiency in the face of significant and unprecedented economic challenges, there is also an ongoing focus on investing across our estate and in participants, which includes a commitment to prize money. This has led us to some very difficult decisions in our financial planning for 2024 and we are pleased to be able to deliver an increase in prize-money investment in these very challenging circumstances.”

The Jockey Club's attempts to improve communication regarding its business decisions with the wider industry includes having conducted 39 “transparency meetings” in the last two and a half years with 120 individuals, including owners and trainers. This stance was welcomed by the chair of the Thoroughbred Group, Julian Richmond-Watson, and also by Paul Johnson, chief executive of the National Trainers' Federation.

Johnson said, “The announcement from the Jockey Club is most welcome on two fronts. Firstly, amid concerns that the sport's financial headwinds could see prize-money fall from 2023 levels, it is very positive to see that the Jockey Club has been able to deliver an increase. Secondly, and looking further forwards, we are delighted to be able to have agreed on a commitment to greater transparency over finances. We believe that this is an enormously important step in being able to agree commercial partnerships with racecourses, something that we see as a foundation stone for working together to improve the sport's future.”

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The Jockey Club, which owns and operates Epsom Downs, had received an injunction banning the animal rights group Animal Rising of which Newman is a member, prior to the Derby in June. Newman's two-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months during contempt of court proceedings on Wednesday. Tim James-Matthews, for Newman, said he “reiterates his sincere apologies to the court, the claimant and those affected by his conduct”. James-Matthews stated that although Newman had entered the track during the race, that there was still time for the horses to stop.

Justice Miles accepted that Newman was “motivated by conscientious objectives” but did not rule on their legitimacy. He continued, “The only issue for the court at this hearing is the appropriate sanction to be imposed on the defendant in respect of his admitted contempt of court.

“He deliberately flouted the order. His actions were planned in advance. He was not acting under pressure or compulsion and his actions were his own.”

Miles was also told that Newman pled guilty to causing a public nuisance in related criminal proceedings previously and had spent more than 30 days in custody prior to his sentencing in July. Handing down the suspended sentence, the judge noted Newman had apologised and “tasted imprisonment”.

Nevin Truesdale, the Jockey Club's chief executive, said after the sentencing, “Ben Newman's decision to breach security and run on to the track while the Derby was under way was a reckless stunt which could have compromised the safety and security of humans and horses.

“We were always very clear that if anyone chose to breach the injunction then we would not hesitate to take further action.

“It has always been our intention for that action to be both clear and proportionate and we accept the sanction imposed on Mr. Newman by the court today.

“More widely, it is our sincere hope that by pursuing this matter in the High Court it sends a very clear message to anyone who might in future consider disrupting races in such a way, that we will never tolerate illegal and reckless behaviour of this kind.”

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How often have the last three winners of the Derby all still been in training? (We can make that four, actually, but Serpentine has long since ventured down under and is now a gelding.) To have three remaining in Europe offers an opportunity unprecedented in the modern era for this trio to engage in a battle of the generations. That could happen in the Coral-Eclipse, of course, which may also include Sunday's hugely impressive Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact (Ire), and for which last year's winner Vadeni (Fr), Emily Upjohn (GB), Luxembourg (Ire) and Nashwa (GB) are all among the entries. But, with no intended offence to Sandown, it really should be all about Ascot, and I mean in July rather than June.

For a start, the King George, as Britain's second-most valuable race after the Derby, is worth £500,000 more than the Eclipse at £1,250,000. At this level, it is not only about prize-money of course. For the colts, the level of support in a future stallion career is at stake. Despite the Derby remaining a coveted prize, it is mystifying that so often the rest of the winner's career revolves around trying to pretend that he hasn't won it and would really be better suited by ten furlongs. Of course, the perfect stallion prospect is one who has excelled at a mile, ten furlongs, and a mile and a half. Step forward, Sea The Stars (Ire), who remains the beau ideal.

The more we see of the progeny of Frankel, the more convincing it becomes that he too could have been a top-level 12-furlong performer. It is a moot point, however, and the exuberance of his early years could well have been his undoing had he been asked to go for the Derby. But what he gave us a racehorse is, almost unbelievably, being matched by his stallion career as Frankel adds stakes winner after stakes winner to his record. 

Lady Bamford's Soul Sister (GB) became his second Oaks winner after Anapurna (GB), both of whom were ridden to victory for the Gosden stable by the inimitable Frankie Dettori. John Gosden first won the King George with Frankel's great rival, Nathaniel (Ire), and later with two more of his Oaks winners, Taghrooda (GB) and Nathaniel's daughter Enable (GB). The latter of course won it three times in four years and her dominance may well have been part of the reason that there were only three runners when she claimed her third victory in 2020. That year's Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) had been supposed to run but was a late scratching. 

This century, only Galileo (Ire) and Adayar have won the King George in the year they also won the Derby, while Alamshar (Ire) triumphed after winning the Irish Derby, and the aforementioned Taghrooda and Enable both won in their Classic seasons. You don't need to scroll back too far to see the names of the brilliant three-year-old King George winners Nijinsky, Mill Reef, The Minstrel, Troy, Shergar (Ire), Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Generous (Ire) and Lammtarra to know that it was once almost de rigueur for the Derby winner to make a mid-season appearance at Ascot in late July.

Look Back to Look Forward

There have been many changes within the sport of horseracing over the last century; some good, some bad. One comforting aspect for anyone interested in the breeding side is the sense of continuity conveyed by a horse's pedigree, even if a family has gone quiet for several generations. 

Had we access to a time machine, we could go back 99 years to the 1,000 Guineas and watch Mumtaz Mahal (GB) and Straitlace (GB) being beaten into second and third by Plack (GB). The winner later featured as the third dam of the 1966 King George winner Aunt Edith (GB). Mumtaz Mahal, known as 'The Flying Filly', returned to sprinting after the Guineas and her contribution to the breed, through her position in the Aga Khan's broodmare band and beyond, has been immense. Last year, she featured as the tenth dam of the Arc winner Alpinista (GB). 

Straitlace, meanwhile, went from Newmarket to win the Oaks, and her Epsom triumph was most recently copied by her twelfth-generation descendant Auguste Rodin (Ire). The female line of the Derby winner's family has been to America and back since those days, with Sheikh Mohammed having been the owner for a time of his fourth dam Rahaam (Secreto). Bred by Calumet Farm and Stephen Peskoff, Rahaam went on to produce the lightning-fast Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who then lends the heft of her Group 1-winning daughter and grand-daughter, Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as Auguste Rodin's first and second dams.

No Stopping on the Branch Line 

It has for a while now been apparent that Frankel is becoming to his sire what Galileo was in turn to Sadler's Wells, who was himself responsible for establishing a hugely significant branch of the Northern Dancer sire-line.

It wasn't just Soul Sister's Oaks triumph that made for a good weekend for the Banstead Manor Stud resident. Kelina (Ire) took the G2 Prix de Sandringham for her owner-breeders Wertheimer & Frere, further enhancing a family that already boasts the Group 1 winners With You (GB), Call The Wind (GB) and We Are (Ire) as half-siblings to her dam Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

It is too early to talk of Frankel as a sire of sires but it is encouraging to see his son Cracksman (GB) represented by such an impressive individual as the Prix du Jockey Club winner Ace Impact (Ire). Fizzy in the parade ring with a handler each side, he put that nervous energy to good use on the track when coming from a long way back to make the highly-regarded Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) appear almost to be standing still when he passed him in the straight to win by clear daylight. 

Bred by German breeder Waltraut Spanner, who raced his dam Absolutly Me (Fr), Ace Impact is inbred to one of Germany's most influential mares of all time in Allegretta (GB), who is the grand-dam of Anabaa Blue (GB) (Anabaa), a Prix du Jockey Club winner himself and the broodmare sire of Ace Impact. 

Farther back this family has roots in Lord Derby's Stanley House Stud, breeder of his fourth dam Rosia Bay (GB), who is a half-sister to Selection (GB), dam of the brilliant Ouija Board (GB). Rosia Bay's daughter Roseate Tern (GB), by the Derby winner Blakeney (GB), won the Yorkshire Oaks as well as being placed in the Oaks and the St Leger.

And while we reflect on the passing of the baton down this particular sire-line, it is worth noting the similar situation in Japan, where Sunday Silence was succeeded by Deep Impact (Jpn), among whose many sons at stud there appears to be a particular rising star in Kizuna (Jpn). A Derby winner like his sire, Kizuna was the leading first-crop sire of 2019 and for the last three years has not been out of the first five in the general sires' table. He was third last year and currently occupies that same position following the second consecutive GI Yasuda Kinen win at the weekend for his daughter Songline (Jpn). The five-year-old mare is now a three-time Grade 1 winner in Japan and appears to have the Breeders' Cup on her agenda for later in the year.

The New Normal? 

The hitherto unseen levels of security at Epsom were described by the Jockey Club's chief executive Nevin Truesdale as “sadly necessary” when he spoke on Racing TV's Luck on Sunday show in the aftermath of the Derby. 

He's not wrong. Even with an interest only as a spectator and scribbler on Saturday, my unease had grown through the week to the point of not really enjoying what is usually my favourite day of the year. That sense of dread must have been multiplied many times over for those actually connected to a runner or charged with ensuring that the meeting proceeded safely and smoothly. 

Encouragingly, Surrey Police took the threat seriously enough to be proactive. Intelligence pertaining to the protestors led to the arrests of 19 people on the morning of the Derby, while another 12 arrests were made within the racecourse grounds.

While this and the Jockey Club's forward-thinking approach in applying for a High Court injunction are all to be applauded, it is hard to see that this level of  planning and expense around major meetings is sustainable, especially at a time when British racing's finances are already squeezed.

“This probably is our new normal,” Truesdale admitted, and added in reference to the widespread disruption already seen outside racing caused by various protest groups, “I actually think we've done other sports and other activities a favour.”

The Derby itself wasn't done a favour, either by the early start time, or the train strikes on the day, both of which surely contributed to the number of attendees being just over half the previous year's figure at around 20,000.

As it transpired the number of protestors on the day was actually less than a tenth of the 1,000 promised by the group's spokesperson earlier in the week. But it only takes one, as it did, to get onto the course to cause a potentially catastrophic situation. 

Positioned near the winning post to watch the Derby, I was heartened by the cheer of relief as the race went off as scheduled, but was almost instantly distracted by one of the many security guards positioned along the stands' rail as he flinched and started to run up the track. The booing started, a crew of six guards and police rugby-tackled the invader on the track and got him out of harm's way before the horses had even approached the top of the hill. For the second year in a row we watched protestors being dragged off the track at Epsom.

There is no doubt that the support behind this group is not significant, and they have shown themselves not only to be woefully ill-informed about racing and the needs of horses, but also not above lying in an attempt to remain in the headlines. 

“I actually think we should stop talking about them now,” said Truesdale, and in this he is also right but, clearly, we cannot stop worrying about them, and that concern comes at a cost, both financial and reputational. 

The new normal? Let's hope not. 

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Both the Grand National and Scottish Grand National meetings attracted protestors that delayed proceedings to various degrees, but The Jockey Club is taking every possible precaution to avoid that scenario for the upcoming meeting on June 2-3. Epsom Downs Racecourse is owned and operated by The Jockey Club, and officials have met with the Surrey police in advance of the meeting.

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of the Jockey Club, said, “As part of our planning for the Derby Festival, we have been working with Surrey Police to ensure we have a range of robust security measures in place to protect the safety of everyone at the event, especially our equine and human participants, which will always be our number one priority.

“While we completely respect anyone's right to peaceful and lawful protest, we would condemn illegal and reckless plans to breach security in an effort to disrupt the action on the track and endanger the safety of the participants in the strongest possible terms.

“Thousands of people look forward to attending the Derby every year and millions more will be watching at home and around the world, so we look forward to staging what is not only an important event for the sport but an iconic moment in the British summer and a celebration of the Thoroughbred.”

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The 9.5% rise in the executive contribution is that latest in a series of increases which has seen the figure grow by 141% over the last 12 years. Even working in an inflation adjustment, this is the most significant area of reinvestment in this time period for The Jockey Club, which is governed by Royal Charter to reinvest every penny it makes in profit back into British racing.

The executive contribution will ensure that total prize money at The Jockey Club's 15 racecourses exceeds £59 million in 2023, despite a number of financial challenges facing the sport and leisure industry and the significant impact COVID-19 had on the organisation's profits in 2020 and 2021. This figure is £1 million more than in 2022 and shows only limited growth year-on-year due to the reduced central industry funding.

“At a time when horseracing, like so many other aspects of British life, is facing such serious financial headwinds, we are pleased to be able to announce this record executive contribution towards prize money,” said Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club.

“Breaking through this £30-million barrier for the first time is a milestone we have been striving for and is testament to the hard work and dedication of The Jockey Club's teams all over the country. While it has been challenging to achieve against the backdrop of factors like rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis, both of which continue to impact British racing and our own finances, increasing our own contributions to these record levels has been essential in order to grow overall prize money levels slightly in comparison to 2022.”

Explaining the importance of prize money to the future of horseracing, Truesdale added: “The passion and support of all our participants, trainers and owners is crucial if British racing is to thrive for generations to come and prize money plays a really important role in the wider economics of our industry and the jobs that it supports across the rural economy.

“While we continue to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to and investment in prize money at all levels of the sport, I am in no doubt that horseracing will continue to face significant financial challenges in 2023.

“British racing is facing many of the same financial headwinds that continue to affect families, businesses and other industries and that is making generating revenues to reinvest back into our own sport incredibly challenging. However, we will continue to do everything we can to drive engagement, grow our fan base and increase attendances for the good of horseracing as a whole and, in turn, prize money in the future.”

The Jockey Club also continues to invest in many other areas of the sport, with projects in 2023 expected to focus on the wider industry Weighing Room project, continued investments in equine welfare and improving the raceday experience for participants, owners and racegoers.

Charlie Liverton, chief executive of the Racehorse Owners' Association, added: “The ROA welcomes the increase in Executive Contribution in 2023 from Jockey Club Racecourses and their continued investment in prize money.

“Owners consistently tell us that prize money plays a central role in determining the level of their investment in the sport and by increasing their Executive Contribution by 9.5% in 2023, off the back of record high prize money levels in 2022, The Jockey Club continues to recognise the importance of continued investment in prize money. The coming year will see some difficult economic headwinds for businesses and consumers, and we look forward to working with The Jockey Club and the wider industry to navigate these challenges.”

Ralph Beckett, the president of the National Trainers' Foundation, commented: “At a time when all businesses in the sport face significantly increased costs, it is important that we try to avoid owners footing the whole bill. Given this, The Jockey Club announcement that they will increase their Executive Contribution despite increases to their costs is very welcome and will help trainers to attract and retain owners in the coming months.”

Prize money figures announced by The Jockey Club today are budgeted and subject to abandonments and potentially significant economic changes. Values for specific races and fixtures will be confirmed and announced in due course.

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Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club, said, “The pandemic has been an incredible challenge that we have had to meet head-on. We still cannot be certain about what 2022 will bring, but we have enough confidence in the popularity of British Racing from our advance sales and all our revenue streams now fully firing as things stand to plan to fund and distribute a record amount of prize money next year across our 15 racecourses.

“It's a proud moment to be able to announce this on behalf of The Jockey Club's people today and a tribute to all their hard work and commitment over one of the most difficult periods our business and the whole industry has ever known. I would like to send advance thanks to participants for running their horses with us, racegoers for booking tickets and sponsors for their support, because everything we generate commercially from these activities, we reinvest back into our sport.”

Charlie Liverton, chief executive of the Racehorse Owners Association, said, “I am delighted that The Jockey Club are able to make this significant contribution to their total prizemoney for 2022. It gives great comfort to those who invest in racehorses and breeding stock that, at a time when costs are increasing across the board, the value of the race programme is set to increase. The returns to owners and participants through prize money is critical to both the retention of horses in training and the growth of them. It is remarkable that as we enter in to 2022, given the impact the pandemic has had on businesses across the country, the number of active owners and horses in training is at some of the highest levels of the past five years. We look forward to continuing to work with The Jockey Club to maximise both prize money and the owners experience, on and off the racecourse, during 2022 and beyond.”

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Prizemoney will increase across all levels at The Jockey Club's racecourses, and major races positively impacted include the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. and the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile (advertised as £450,000, now £500,000); and the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. (£225,000, now £250,000).

Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club, said, “A big priority for us has been to get to a position in our recovery where we can advertise prizemoney at pre-pandemic levels as quickly as possible. When you add 2020 and our 2021 outlook together, the pandemic will have cost us more than £170-million in lost revenues, so originally it seemed we would need to wait until 2022 to have any chance of making this announcement, but I'm delighted and tremendously proud of the team that we're able to bring this forward.

“We're optimistic about the future, but despite today's announcement we are continuing to operate under uncertainty as a business. This includes whether any restrictions on our operations will be reintroduced or deter racegoers at any point in the remainder of 2021 or into 2022. As such we'll need to keep planning on a relatively short-term basis for the foreseeable future and contribute the maximum we can back into the sport, including all our areas of investment beyond prize money.

“It's no secret that we view prize money as vital to the livelihoods of those working in the sport; it provides an important return for racehorse owners and encourages the competitive racing that we all want to enjoy. We're working hard to drive the sort of underlying growth and commercial success that allows The Jockey Club to continue to increase its contributions to British Racing, which has always been, and will continue to be, our aim.”

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