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The Racing Department’s areas of responsibility are:
Fixture List
The size and shape of the fixture list is determined by criteria prescribed the Levy Board, taking into account:
- The maximum number of fixtures that can be run
- The distribution of the fixtures, between racecourses and in relation to the type of races held
- The balance of Flat and Jump races
- The distribution of Evening fixtures
- The number of Saturday and Sunday fixtures
Within this framework there are two types of fixture:
Racecourse Fixtures
Racecourses can request to swap and move fixtures with other courses, with the Racing Department overseeing any transfers, ensuring that the best interests of the Fixture List are met.
British Horseracing Authority Fixtures
There is a fixture bidding process which allows a certain number of British Horseracing Authority fixtures to be offered on a leasehold basis.
Racecourses competitively bid against each other for a fixture. The Racecourse with the highest bid is granted the fixture subject to BHA Regulatory Inspectorate approval.
Race Programme
The overall aim of the department is to produce a programme of races which:
- Is designed to maintain the quality of horses in training in the UK, and the competitiveness of racing, by ensuring that horses are catered for broadly in accordance with ability over their entire careers
- Maximises opportunities for the horse population at all reasonable levels of ability and over all distances throughout the season
- Produces a satisfactory product in terms of off-course betting, in order to maximise the Betting Levy
This is achieved through 3 main elements:
- Balance
Providing adequate opportunities for:
- Horses
- Owners
- Trainers
- Jockeys
- Breeders
Whilst also satisfying
- Racecourses
- Racegoers
- Betting shops & other gaming facilities
- Broadcast media
- Competitiveness
Taking into account
- Horse population
- Field sizes
- Starting prices
- Competitive racing data
- Flexibility
- Dividing additional races where necessary
- Transferring fixtures at short notice
- Transferring major races
- Reacting to changes in weather
- Re-opening and re-offering races with small low numbers of entries and declarations
When working with a racecourse to produce a programme of races for a particular day the department:
- Identifies gaps in the race programme
- Analyses the success of or demand for certain types of races
- Measures the performance of existing races in terms of the number of runners, entries and ratings for each type of race, to deem whether the race was a success
- Takes into account the budget available to the racecourse
Race Times
Race times are planned and updated every four months, with updates made in between to accommodate changes to broadcaster’s schedules or racecourse requests. Elements which need to be taken into account when compiling race times for a particular day are:
- Broadcasters - both terrestrial TV and the dedicated racing channels
- Racecourses
- Race sponsors
- Avoiding clashes or overlaps in starting times to ensure that viewers and punters have the opportunity to watch every race uninterrupted
- Monitoring delays
Statistical Research and Analysis
Statistical research is used to ensure that the Fixture List and race programmes continues to reflect the needs of the racehorse population, including analyising the success of different types of races in terms of:
- field sizes
- the role they play for the horse population
- the demand for types of races and fixtures from those in the industry
Flat and Jump Pattern
‘Pattern’ races are the top class of Jump and Flat races. It is our responsibility to schedule all races in the Jump and Flat Pattern schedule.
You can download the Jump Pattern and Listed Race Book 2008-09.
International Liaison
The Racing Department also has responsibility for the British Pattern, and seeks appropriate upgrades through its representation on the European Pattern Committee and International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee.
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About Us
Race planning
