Racing: Jockey Club to lose seat on the board

PETER SAVILL yesterday announced the first shake-up of the British Horseracing Board during his reign as chairman. He unveiled a "constitutional reform" which, subject to ratification in the New Year, will alter the balance of the board for the first time since it was formed five years ago.

Out will go one of the four Jockey Club members and one of the three members of the industry committee, their seats on the board being taken by a representative of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and an independent director, whose racing background, if any, will have to be broad-based.

These changes are part of a package of reform that Savill sees as streamlining the bureaucracy of the BHB in order to bring the governing body closer to fulfilling his Financial Plan.

"Our main aim is to achieve the goal of the Financial Plan," said Savill, who said that political opinion had suggested that the BHB's unwieldiness was hindering its decision-making.

"There have been a number of people who have expressed the view that is it not as effective as it should be. We have addressed those issues and we feel the solutions we have put forward achieve those goals."