Nick Timothy, the MP for West Suffolk, pointed to the need for urgent government action to help British horseracing after he joined MPs and Peers from three parties during a recent visit to Newmarket, the home of more than 3,000 racehorses.
Mr Timothy, who along with Labour MP for Liverpool Walton Dan Carden is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock, was one of eight parliamentarians who visited a range of businesses and organisations in Newmarket connected with the sport.
Along with Mr Timothy, those taking part in the visit included Mr Carden, Liberal Democrat MP for MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire Charlotte Cane, Conservative for Windsor MP Jack Rankin, Labour MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme Lee Pitcher, Conservative Peer Baroness McIntosh of Pickering, Conservative Peer Lord Herbert of South Downs and Conservative Peer Baroness Harding of Winscombe.
The group visited the British Racing School and Pony Academy, Clarehaven Stables, The National Stud and Tattersalls.
After the visit, Mr Timothy said: “Racing, training, breeding and bloodstock are essential and valued parts of Newmarket, and of the UK’s cultural life and economy. They infuse the character and heritage of the town and continue to make it a unique place in which to live and work.
“I was delighted to join MPs and peers from all parties on this extremely valuable visit – whether it was to experience the storied history of auctioneer Tattersalls, the beauty of the Gallops, the famous National Stud or the purpose-built training centre for jockeys at the British Racing School.”
Mr Timothy added: “Apart from the cultural richness and entertainment that racing provides, the industry supports over 85,000 jobs nationally, mostly in rural areas, and generates £4.1bn annually for the UK economy. But horseracing needs more help from the Government at a very challenging time.
“Newmarket is the centre of the world of horseracing and British racing remains the best in the world. We need to work hard to keep it that way. In particular, we need to see action to ensure affordability checks are not disproportionate and do not drive away betting customers. And we need reform of the Betting Levy so that more money goes back into British horseracing.”
Note to Editors:
Horseracing is facing significant challenges which those who work in the sport relayed during the visit by MPs and Peers to Newmarket. Reform of the Horserace Betting Levy – as promised by Government in the 2023 Gambling White Paper – would deliver more money from betting into the sport. This would allow better investment in areas such as equine welfare and veterinary research. It would also boost prize money to ensure British Racing remains competitive globally. It is crucial that the government expedite Levy reform to ensure more money flows into racing.
A regime of affordability checks conducted by online bookmakers on some people who like to bet on the sport has also impacted the sport’s finances. These checks can include personal documentation being requested by bookmakers at sometimes relatively low levels of spend. The Gambling Commission is piloting whether these checks can be done in a ‘frictionless’ way that does not interrupt the customer. It is therefore vital that checks are only rolled out fully if they are truly frictionless and capture the minority who are at risk of gambling-related harm – and do not deter people from betting on racing or drive them to the black market.
Another key issue is improving the traceability of horses and ensuring they can move easily across borders post-Brexit but due to funding constraints, the government paused two major projects in 2024. The first was the implementation of a Digital Equine ID system for all horses, which would help British Racing meet its ambition for all thoroughbreds to be traced, including those retrained and rehomed after racing. The second was confirming that all ‘high health’ horses – including the thoroughbreds used for racing and breeding – will not be subject to border checks once these are implemented for live animals. The APPG is calling for this work to be resumed as soon as possible.
Despite these challenges, the visit to Newmarket demonstrated the contribution that horseracing makes to the economic, cultural and social fabric of our communities – as well as acting as a key soft power lever internationally.
Racing supports 85,000 jobs both directly and indirectly and provides career opportunities for people in all stages of life and from all backgrounds. The British Racing School and the National Stud allow those with no prior experience to train for a career in a specialised equine role. Those on the visit saw a group of trainees at the being put through their paces on the ‘Equicizer’ – a mechanical horse used to train jockeys – demonstrating their impressive technique, balance and core strength.
It is at the training yards in towns like Newmarket where trainees go on to find jobs riding and looking after the horses that we see competing at the 59 racecourses in Great Britain. Those on the visit were fortunate to visit Clarehaven Stables, the base of father and son Champion Trainers, John and Thady Gosden, where they toured the yard before heading down to the gallops. It is here that they watched a group of two-year-old horses having their first canter since entering training.
Newmarket also breeds this next generation of racehorses. The thoroughbred breeding industry contributes £327m annually to the British economy and it is at Tattersalls auction house where some of the best-bred horses change hands for a range of prices. While the headline sales might involve many thousands – or even millions – of pounds being spent by leading international owners on one horse, sales such as the one the group saw take place during the visit are a key source of income for smaller breeders and provide horses that can be bought at a reasonable price by syndicates up and down the country.
The Racing and Bloodstock APPG visit was a valuable opportunity to see behind the scenes of a sport that is part of the UK’s cultural fabric. The visit was also a stark reminder of the unique challenges faced by Britain’s second-largest spectator sport, which is enjoyed by many residents of Newmarket and other constituents of West Suffolk, and by millions around the country.
