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Guidance for racing behind closed doors
Much has been reported about the raceday experience for owners with racing behind closed doors and rightly so. It’s such a vital part of the ownership experience.
Since owners returned to the racecourse in July, the ROA has been gathering feedback from hundreds of owners on the experience of having a runner. We have been working closely with racecourses through the Racecourse Association and BHA to review various areas currently under British racing’s protocols.
These include attendance/badge allocation, overall on-course experience and the facilities available to owners as well as any regional guidance. As any updates are made, these are being communicated through our eBulletins and news pages.
The ROA has supported hundreds of owners looking for guidance around Covid-19 protocols, assisting owners and trainers with the steps required in advance of racing.
We’ve created easy, step-by-step guidance for owners with a runner behind closed doors and the ROA website now lists details of the number of badges that racecourses are allocating to owners, and any news and updates from the course.
You can also find details on how to watch a race live, contact details of the racecourse photographer on the raceday and also where to watch a replay of the race if you are unable to attend. See our updated Racing Behind Closed Doors guidance at roa.co.uk/ raceday/racing.
Owners with a runner receive an email via the RCA PASS system at entry stage, and again after declaration. Emails are sent after 2pm on both days and owners can arrange their badges via the PASS website at www.rcapass.com by 4pm the day before the race. Please note: you will need to have the same email address listed on Racing Admin (www2.racingadmin.co.uk) as well as PASS (rcapass.com) to receive emails after entry and declaration.
The ROA website includes a guide to filming at racecourses for syndicate managers and trainers so you can bring the vital post-race debriefing to your
Owners have contacted the ROA regarding their racecourse experiences during Covid
owners in the best possible way.
ROA members on our eBulletin service have been receiving a dedicated message each morning with news, racecards and links to owner resources including the Racing Calendar.
If you haven’t received your memento following your horse winning, we suggest checking with your trainer first and if they don’t have the memento, we suggest owners email the racecourse with details of the horse name and date of fixture to enable the course to send any items direct. Contact details can be found at roa.co.uk.
It is great to have owners back on the course – please continue to share any feedback on your experience with us via email info@roa.co.uk or by completing the relevant feedback form on the racecourse page.
Member Paul Proctor attended Huntingdon recent and commented: “I would like the ROA to know how well as an owner we were looked after by the team at Huntingdon throughout the day, being personally welcomed on arrival by Huntingdon’s Chairman Julian Taylor supported by Malcolm Wallace. Indeed all the staff on course were exemplary in all respects and the catering for owners was first class.
“Racecourses can come in for a lot of criticism but I have nothing but praise for how Huntingdon managed everything for owners in today’s difficult circumstances. I have attended many racecourses over the years and during this pandemic Southwell, Newmarket, Stratford, Uttoxeter and Huntingdon all behind closed doors. Yesterday was the best experience of all in the current climate and a model for what can be done to make owners appreciated and welcome. Needless to say it was a totally safe environment to boot.”
Julie Fowler reported on a visit to Lingfield Park and said: “Lingfield was well organised, with a nice room, serving drinks and food with direct access out into the stands very close to the winning line. There was also access out to the parade ring and pre-parade ring, lots of room for owners including raised stands so plenty of room.
“The staff were excellent, very friendly and made every effort to accommodate any requests. Although there wasn’t access to the winner’s enclosure, which was at the far end of the parade ring, Lingfield had moved the first-placed post to the owners’ end of the parade ring, therefore if your horse won it was walked right in front of the owners’ area allowing pictures to be taken even though you were on the other side of the railings. I thought this was an excellent initiative, cost very little to erect a post but gave winners owners the enjoyment of seeing their horse come back in. Surely this is something all racecourses could take on board.”
Course news
Ascot has increased its offering to owners of six badges and six lunches. This increase was made from British Champions Day and will apply for the NH season.
Wincanton have advised that hot food and a bar will be available in the Kingwell Suite (the regular Owners’ & Trainers’ facility) and Chasers Restaurant. Additional facilities of Hatherleigh, on the 2nd Floor, the Stalbridge Bar and the Gallery Suite will also be made available for owners if demand requires. Each facility will provide a cold food offer and a bar.
A debrief area for owners and trainers will be provided adjacent to the parade ring.
United approach to levy reform
The British Horseracing Authority board and its member bodies have agreed to take a united approach to government after developing a single set of proposals for reforming the levy. At a meeting of the BHA’s Members’ Committee on October 6, leaders of racecourses, horsemen and the BHA also agreed to set up a new steering group to assess all the options for levy reform in light of the impact of Covid-19 and the expected economic downturn.
The steering group, chaired on behalf of the BHA by its Independent Director, Joe Saumarez-Smith, held its first meeting the same week. The group is carrying out a rapid assessment of levy options as the government considers how best to help sports threatened by a further six months without spectators. The group is working closely with the BHA’s public affairs team, which led and coordinated the successful effort to extend the levy to offshore betting companies.
The group will include representatives from both racecourses
Fixtures over Christmas
The BHA has made a number of changes to the fixture list over the Christmas period, between December 21-30 in the likelihood that racing will take place behind closed doors. These are:
Fixture moves
•Huntingdon’s afternoon fixture on 26/12 moved to 22/12 • Sedgefield’s afternoon fixture moved from 26/12 to 22/12 • Fontwell’s afternoon fixture moved from 26/12 to 28/12 • Market Rasen’s afternoon fixture on 26/12 moved to 30/12 • Southwell’s afternoon flat fixture on 29/12 moved to a floodlit fixture
Fixture replacements
•Lingfield’s afternoon Flat fixture on 28/12 replaced with Newcastle floodlit fixture
BHA Chair Annamarie Phelps: pleased with the industry’s collaborative efforts
and horsemen, including Nevin Truesdale and Martin Cruddace, from the Jockey Club and ARC, and Charlie Parker and Philip Freedman, present and past Chairs of The Horsemen’s Group. Will Lambe and Richard Wayman will be the BHA Executive’s representatives.
Lingfield’s afternoon Flat fixture on 30/12 replaced with Wolverhampton floodlit fixture on 21/12 on 22/12
The Chair of the BHA, Annamarie Phelps, said: “I am pleased that industry leaders have agreed on a united approach to government and the support this has had from trainers, breeders and racecourse groups. Now more than ever, racing needs to talk with one voice to government.
“Both I and other BHA board colleagues have been having constructive conversations with industry colleagues over the past few weeks. As a governing body, it is vital we listen to the views of those whose livelihoods are dependent on a prosperous and sustainable industry.
“The Prime Minister promised that the Chancellor would prepare a package of support for sport. We have sent government at their request a new assessment of the impact of Covid on the finances of racing, including the potential mitigating impact of reform to the levy, and making clear that the return of the public to racecourses is essential. Further proposals on the levy are now being developed, supported
Fontwell’s Boxing Day fixture has been moved to December 28
Additional fixtures
•Afternoon Flat fixture at Newcastle • Afternoon Flat fixture at Lingfield by Nick Rust and his team.” Changes to race programmes are always available via the Racing Admin site, www2.racingadmin.co.uk. The fixture list remains subject to change including in the event that there are amendments to the government guidance on spectators attending sporting events.
The month’s fixtures for November and December can be downloaded from roa.co.uk.
In conversation with ROA Ambassador
RICHARD JOHNSON
One of the first engagements as ROA Ambassador saw Richard Johnson meeting members in the ROA marquee at the Cheltenham Festival before racing in March. As the jump season gathers pace we caught up with Richard on his way to racing at Ludlow on October 7 and asked for his thoughts on aspects of racing behind closed doors.
With racing behind closed doors, what changes are there around the way jockeys and trainers are interacting with owners?
Video clips after a race are being used much more regularly. We want to give owners as good an experience as we can. It’s really important to allow owners to be involved as much as they can be, to maintain their interest in and enjoyment of having a horse.
Events over recent months have pushed many trainers into being more forward-thinking. Trainers and key racing staff are now regularly taking video clips to share with owners to try to provide the information they would receive under more usual circumstances.
What can we do to improve the raceday experience for owners behind closed doors?
Owners are being very supportive and realistic. It’s important for the industry to work together to keep racing on. My colleagues and I were very concerned when racing was halted, as were trainers and the whole industry. We feared there could be a significant reduction of horses in training in a short period of time. It’s been encouraging to see many owners keeping horses in training. Yards that I ride for have remained busy and new horses are continuing to be purchased.
I think the BHA on the whole has done a good job. Racing has shown it can run safely and has come across well in doing so. It is challenging for racecourses. They are under pressure to provide a safe environment for all participants and are working under stringent constraints.
Having a racehorse is something owners do for pleasure. They may get to see their horse race five or six times a year. Winning is the goal and aim but most owners are very realistic and view winning as a bonus.
On a raceday they want to feel appreciated and have a good time. They want to be able to sit down, relax and enjoy some refreshments. It should be an enjoyable day whether they win or not.
Owners want to have fun, feel
Richard Johnson (far side) says communication with owners is key after the race they are getting some value for their money and feel special for that day. My mum and dad are owners and enjoy a day out at the races and view it as a day off. Winning to them is an added bonus.
Racing can’t go on without owners. When an owner takes a guest with them racing, it also provides an important opportunity. If they enjoy their day, it can lead to them becoming involved in ownership. A personal introduction is a strong recommendation.
How can we keep owners connected to their horse when they have a runner?
It’s usually possible for a jockey or trainer to provide a short clip within 30 minutes of the horse running using a mobile phone.
Communication for owners is key, and especially at that time. It’s very important to make them feel involved and part of the experience. Ideally owners like a phone call before a race, and a video of the jockey’s assessment post-race. The clip can be filmed by the rider, trainer, travelling head lad or a member of the trainer’s team.
The PJA has been keeping in close contact with jockeys, and a short video clip is a helpful way to provide an update quickly. At the same time it feels more of a personal message than something written down.
I speak for all my weighing room colleagues in saying we are very thankful for owners who have been so supportive. We are very appreciative and want to be able to provide enjoyment for them. It’s been a frustrating time for so many. We would love to see more owners back on the racecourse and look forward to seeing them going racing.
Ownership strategy initiatives
The British Racing Recovery Plan, published at the end of August, outlined the key areas for improvement in the form of nine industry goals.
Outlined in goal seven of this plan is its intention to retain key investors, including existing owners, and reform rules for syndicates and clubs to protect members and increase their appeal to potential owners.
This goal is focusing on recovery by recognising the importance of retaining owners and key investors. The Racehorse Owners Association is leading the work on owners as part of the Industry Ownership Strategy, with the BHA also supporting and engaging key investors, a number of whom are owners and breeders. All industry stakeholders have been involved in the project.
The ongoing work in this stream has five aims concerning:
New commercial agreements Prize-money distribution Levy reform Owner attendance Ownership experience
The ROA began the task of developing an industrywide strategic ownership plan in 2017. The work has been led by Charlie Liverton, the ROA’s Chief Executive, working with Portas Consulting and industry colleagues on each initiative.
A number of initiatives have already been implemented in response to the findings and results of the 2016
The distribution of prize-money in races is currently under review
National Racehorse Owner Survey. These were developed under a threeyear plan from 2017-2020 and members will have seen the outcomes of many of these workstreams. Activities within the three-year plan have included:
Owners
•Industry Ownership Racedays – one a month held around the country, promoting and celebrating ownership and providing a social networking opportunity, connecting hundreds of owners throughout the year. • Thrill of Ownership – industry events held at Aintree and the House of Commons in 2019 to showcase the importance of racing to rural communities. Attendees included MPs from the All Party Racing Group and stakeholder representatives. • Ownership survey – in collaboration with Portas, January 2019. • Breeders survey – in collaboration with Portas. This led to the expansion of the ROA’s third party liability scheme and an extension at no extra cost to owners who were amateur breeders. • Syndicate survey – Portas, October 2018. • • Owner focus groups held around UK. ROA online resources expanded to support owners. • Leasing – template lease agreement and guidance at roa.co.uk, with documents mirrored in TBA resources. • Brand development and emphasis on giving owners a voice. Collaboration with Nick Luck’s daily podcast.
Racecourses
•Racecourse Quality Mark, linked to the ROA Gold Standard Awards. • • Owners Guide to Racecourses. Ownership module introduced for training days.
Trainers
•Trainers’ secretaries – regional meetings in training centres. • Online resources for trainers and their key staff. • Ownership covered in trainer modules.
SETTING UP A SYNDICATE?
There needs to be a minimum of one syndicator and two members in any syndicate. There is no maximum number of people who can be syndicate members. The percentages can be varied and the values can go down to 0.1%. The ROA website offers resources including template syndicate agreements and a link to the syndicate code of conduct.
Registration of ownership is completed online and details outlining the process can be found at britishhorseracing.com in the regulation/ownership section.
An owners’ toolkit at the link gives guidance around registering colours and also related administration. Members of the ROA receive a 20% discount on registration fees. Examples of the fees/savings can be found at roa.co.uk.
Owner-sponsorship allows you to register for and reclaim VAT on your costs of ownership. The ROA runs an owner-sponsorship scheme in partnership with the Tote for members, which makes this very easy to set up. For further details see roa.co.uk.
MAGICAL MOMENTS Clive Norman toasts a Majestic triumph at Newmarket
There are plenty of great grooms in racing, and Great Grooms the antique centre in Hungerford also has a connection with our sport, which comes to light following the Cambridgeshire win of Majestic Dawn. For it was a chance encounter there – and the tremendous initiative of Oliver Cole – which lured Clive Norman back into racehorse ownership after a break of 35 years, with Majestic Dawn one of five horses he now owns outright or in partnerships.
“I have long been into fine art, paintings, bronzes, furniture and the like, and have been going to Great Grooms on and off for several years,” says Norman. “One day this chap came running out after me to ask if I was interested in horses.
“It turned out to be Oliver Cole, who invited me to the yard. They had a couple for sale; a colt by Canford Cliffs, who was named Black Medusa and I bought myself, and a colt by Red Jazz, who I bought under our company’s name and we called Towelrads Boy, who won well second time out at Wolverhampton.”
Majestic Dawn was bought at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale, and is shared between Norman and Lee Green, who he met on one of his regular trips to Deauville, while last year Zhang Fei was purchased at the Arqana October Yearling Sale. The Camelot colt made his debut at Newmarket the day before Majestic Dawn won the Cambridgeshire and is owned in partnership, while another Camelot colt, Wantage, has yet to run.
The more recent purchases follow the floating of the Brickability Group –
Majestic Dawn and Paul Hanagan surge clear in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket
which includes two companies founded by Norman – on the AIM in August last year, which gave the company a market capitalisation of £150 million and made it the second highest market cap among AIM IPOs of 2019.
Norman remains a non-executive director on the Brickability board – and the group continues to do well, with the housing market relatively not too badly affected by Covid-19 – but his business interests are certainly only part of his lifestyle nowadays, with racehorses, fine wine and English military history books all competing for attention.
In addition to the four he owns or part-owns in training with Paul and Oliver Cole, he acquired the half-brother to talented two-year-old Method at the Goffs Orby Sale, and he too is now at Whatcombe.
It is, however, Majestic Dawn about whom Norman speaks most enthusiastically, and who has provided him and fellow owners Lee and Josephine Green with most magical moments.
“Part of the appeal for being an owner and about racing in general is that the smaller guys can occasionally beat the goliaths,” says Norman.
“When Majestic Dawn won his maiden at Newbury, the Queen was there I believe and she was second and fourth behind us. He won by six lengths that day – so even further than his winning margin in the Cambridgeshire [of fourand-three-quarter lengths] – and we’ve always seen him as a good horse, he’s just had one or two issues.
“Given he finished last at Kempton on his previous outing, the Cambridgeshire win was a surprise, but he does like Newmarket. The course suits him and it’s not dissimilar to the gallops at the Coles, which are incredible by the way.
“We live in Warfield, Berkshire, at the top of Hawthorn Hill, where there used to be a racecourse, and are about 40 minutes from Wantage. I probably get to the yard about once a month, but we get videos of the horses working, which is great and which I guess is an example of the more IT savvy nature of the younger generation Oliver is part of, plus plenty of phone calls.
“Paul is very laid-back and has been successful in the game for such a long time, especially with Generous of course. The Coles do a good job for us.
“It was amazingly exciting to get a winner in a race like the Cambridgeshire, and Paul had never won it before, so he was really pleased too. I think something like that is good for racing too, as I had a friend who got in touch after who’s now interested in buying a horse. Lots of friends called to say well done, and to win a prestigious handicap like that against the Maktoums and other big
owners made me feel very lucky.”
He continues: “Majestic Dawn is a lovely horse, with a good temperament, he’s straightforward – doesn’t take any notice of dogs running around his legs like some horses do – and often breaks well, which is important as he likes to front-run.
“Paul made an excellent decision to fit blinkers for the first time at Newmarket, and it was great for Paul Hanagan, who gave him a brilliant ride and had suffered that bad injury in February. It was an emotional success for him, and I know he was very pleased to get the ride.
“They won in what I believe was a race-record time, and it was exciting for the whole family, my wife Julie and daughters.”
While Lee Green was at Newmarket to witness the triumph first-hand, Norman was not, and the ongoing absence of owners from the racecourse under restricted numbers, plus the total lack of race-going public, is a blow to someone who thoroughly enjoys the social side of ownership.
“I miss going racing, and all sport is just not the same at the moment – it needs crowds and has become robotic,” he says.
Norman was good enough to speak to Owner Breeder on his 71st birthday, and while he would normally have gone out for lunch, Covid-19 considerations – and the small matter of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – meant he settled for a day at home.
Whether he went on to raise a glass to the retiring Enable and uncork one of his 8,000-9,000 bottles of wine is unknown. Norman has been a collector since the eighties and counts fellow wine club member Piers Morgan as a mate, though he has not quite managed to convince him to become an owner yet.
It was also unclear where and when Majestic Dawn would get another chance of being the subject of a toast, having gone up to a career-high mark of 105 after his Rowley Mile heroics. What is certain is that the Norman and Green families have much to look forward to – though they probably won’t be able to back him at 40-1 next time!
News in brief
New Chair of RoR
The BHA and Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) confirmed at the end of September that Philip Freedman will succeed Paul Roy as the new Chair of the charity from January 1.
Philip Freedman is a lifelong owner and breeder and has held senior positions within racing administration for over 20 years, most recently on the sport’s tripartite Members’ Committee as the Chair of the Horsemen’s Group.
Paul Roy has been Chair of RoR since 2013, during which time the charity’s activities have increased substantially. Pre-Covid, in 2019, British racing’s official charity for the welfare of retired racehorses offered over 500 educational events for the owners of former racehorses, staged in excess of 300 competitions or classes across 15 equine disciplines catering for all levels of ability from grassroots to elite, and provided a safety net and care for any thoroughbreds in need of charitable support.
The appointment of a new Chair comes in the wake of the strategy published by the racing industry’s Horse Welfare Board (HWB) in February 2020. The HWB strategy identified the need for British racing to have greater awareness of the risks associated with aftercare and increase resources and focus in this area.
Racing Post
The Racing Post is allowing customers in betting shops to download its daily newspaper to their mobile devices after launching a new QR code system.
The new initiative was launched postlockdown to support high street betting shops, increase footfall to their shops and offer customers a chance to read the paper in a safe manner.
Each day, the betting shop display edition will feature a unique QR code at the front of it. Once the customer scans the QR code, it takes them to the landing page to read that day’s newspaper.
Discretionary payments
A hearing of the BHA independent Disciplinary Panel in July saw 19 horses disqualified as a result of apprentice George Rooke failing to claim the correct weight allowance in 26 races between August 2019 and February 2020. The disqualified horses included five winners.
Owners of the horses affected were reimbursed the entry and riding fees relevant to the affected race. In addition, an ex gratia payment was made in October to those owners so that no owner lost out financially as a result of the disqualifications.
These discretionary payments have been made to owners totalling the amount of prize-money they would have received had the horse not been disqualified.
Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards
Would you like to recognise a member of racing or stud staff for their hard work and commitment? The clock is ticking for owners to nominate individuals in all categories of the Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards. The Awards recognise and celebrate the remarkable dedication, hard work and passion of the people who provide the best possible care to our horses and people. The Awards offer £128,000 in prize-money across seven award categories.
Nominations close at 5pm on November 10. See studandstablestaffawards.co.uk.
Virtual learning
In recent months options and opportunities for online learning have become more accessible than ever. ROA members had the chance to join a TBA webinar in September entitled ‘Breeding Thoroughbred Racehorses – what you need to know.’
The session, led by Joe Grimwade, consultant of Stud Management Advisory Limited and Tom Blain, Managing Director of Barton Stud, complemented the relaunch of the TBA Broodmare Ownership Guide, and would be of interest to any owners wanting to learn more about breeding. A recording of the session can be found on YouTube.
Nick Luck daily podcast
If you haven’t already listened to Nick Luck’s daily podcast, we can recommend tuning in for engaging debates on major issues as well as discussion around some of the industry’s more niche topics.
Episode 70 featured Simon Cooper, vice-chair of the International Stud Book Committee, discussing genomics, from the monitoring of thoroughbred breeding to the development of detection tests to counter the manipulation of the heritable genome.
The podcast is accessible via Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.
MY DAY AT THE RACES
With Peter Batt at Newmarket on October 3
Peter Batt has been a member of Hot To Trot Racing since 2017 when he saw an advert in the Racing Post. Luckily it was a time when Heartache was just getting going. She was one of six horses in the group of horses Hot To Trot leased to race that season. A few months later she flew to Queen Mary victory at Royal Ascot. Since then, Peter has been involved with a number of talented horses including Group 3 winner Kurious. Peter, who was at Newmarket to watch threeyear-old filly One Small Step in action, is based in Essex and is involved in the supermarket industry. Find out more about Hot To Trot Racing at hottotrotracing.com.
How did you find general guidance for owners around protocols for racing behind closed doors?
I found the documentation that was sent pre-arriving at the course very easy to complete and gave me the confidence that I had the necessary precautions in place. Upon arrival, both parking and entrance were clearly signed and upon entering it was clear as to which bubble I was to remain in with all signage in place.
Did you receive information as an owner in advance of the race day?
Yes, I received a car-park pass with instructions on where to go and a document to complete regarding my details and safety checks.
How was the arrival experience?
The arrival experience was excellent, I had my temperature checked and was asked to show my documentation on two occasions which I did.
How did you find the provision for owners on the day?
The provision for owners on the day was excellent. The food was ordered on a tablet and then bought to the table. In the owners’ area tea and coffee was offered again through digital ordering. There was plenty of
Cheers! Peter Batt enjoys his day at Newmarket in early October
space and all owners abided by the social distancing rules, however the area lacked atmosphere.
What were your thoughts on the location, comfort and provision of the owners’ zone?
I had plenty of room to myself, the toilet facilities where within easy access, as were the food and drink facilities. The only frustration was that we were not allowed to speak to the trainers and stable staff as they were in a different bubble.
What were your thoughts on viewing your horse in the parade ring?
Frustrating, as I believe owners should be allowed in the parade ring – again this meant you couldn’t speak to the trainers.
How did you find the race-viewing zone for owners?
The racing viewing zone was excellent, right on the winning line but again due to the lack of people it lacked atmosphere.
How was the post-race experience and location/provision of the de-brief area?
This was not good as the stable staff had to lean across the barrier and shout from around 10 metres away to feed back. We were not allowed near the horses or to speak to the jockey.
Were you able to review a replay of your race easily on the course?
Yes, but had to walk back to the owners’ section as it was the last race of the day.
How were you treated as an owner on the day?
The course treated us brilliantly, constantly being asked if everything was okay and excellent food and drink and facilities available. Again, the challenge would be the atmosphere due to the lack of people.
What was your overall lasting feeling of the day, based on your racecourse experience?
I love going to the races so had a very enjoyable day and the course could not have done any more to make the day more enjoyable. However, the sooner we can get into the paddock and more people can come the better the experience will be.
HOW IT RATED
Entry ★★★★★ Viewing ★★★★★ Atmosphere ★★★★★ *Racing behind closed doors Owners’ facilities ★★★★★ Food ★★★★★
Overall score 20
LM STALLIONS 2021
SOUTHERN HILLS [GLENEAGLES x REMEMBER YOU]
LEGENDS OF WAR [SCAT DADDY x MADERA DANCER]
TIP TWO WIN [DARK ANGEL x FREDDIE’S GIRL]
MASTER CARPENTER [MASTERCRAFTSMAN x FRINGE]
