News ROA chief Nicholas Cooper makes BHA fixtures call

ROA chief Nicholas Cooper makes BHA fixtures call

racing

New Racehorse Owners Association president Nicholas Cooper believes the British Horseracing Authority should have the final say on the fixture list.

Speaking at the ROA's AGM in London, Cooper outlined his view that the BHA is the only group qualified to make an objective call on how the calendar is formulated.

"Only the governing authority is in a position to stand above individual racecourses and racecourse groups - in fact, to stand above all the interest groups - to make objective judgements while pulling all the many strings together on fixtures and the race programme," said Cooper.

"Racing could then end the ludicrous geographical clashes of meetings and the allocation of fixtures could be based on a system that creates maximum benefit for the sport as a whole, while spreading the horse population in such a way that very small fields and uncompetitive racing would be a thing of the past."

Cooper also called for unity in the sport, particularly in light of last week's European Union referendum result and the challenges it could present.

He said: "There is no doubt racing's new relationship has allowed us to send the right message to government - and the Government has in turn given us the support we so desperately need to alter the sport's funding structure.

"Of course, with the UK now embarking on the process of leaving the European Union, we cannot pretend the racing industry will be immune to the changes about to unfold in this country.

"I am not the first to point out, however, that it was European State Aid legislation that provided the underlying reason for racing not receiving its full income from betting and - when that legislation is swept away - we can look forward to an estimated leakage of £30 million plus per annum being returned to British racing.

"We can also look forward to the setting up of a horseracing authority for the purpose of distributing this money throughout racing without the sort of bookmaker involvement that has so illogically been pivotal to the levy system for the past 60 years.

"And we can also look forward to putting together a serious plan for the Tote so that British racing, working as one, obtains a pool betting licence when Betfred's exclusive licence expires in 2018."

Cooper also revealed the ROA are backing an initiative to get more people involved in ownership through syndicates, while Newmarket lawyer Justin Wadham was re-elected to the Board along with Steve Astaire, with Yvette Dixon elected for the first time.