British Horseracing Authority's CEO, Julie Harrington, remains composed despite the looming threat of Irish dominance at the upcoming Cheltenham Festival. Last year's disappointing showing by British trainers, who clinched a mere five victories, prompted the BHA to establish the Quality Jump Racing Review Group. The group's primary objective is to fortify the performance of British jump racing in the elite echelons.
In early 2022, a set of recommendations was disclosed, accompanied by adjustments to the fixture list for the current season, aimed at enhancing the quality of British National Hunt racing. Harrington acknowledges that the outcomes of these initiatives are still unfolding. However, with Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Gino standing as the solitary British-trained ante-post Grade One frontrunner for the festival, while Willie Mullins commands a formidable presence over all four days, the issue remains pertinent.
Harrington stated,
"We are cognizant of the prevalence of Irish favourites throughout the festival. Although it's early days, various interventions have been implemented, including incentives for British-bred horses and encouraging owners to retain their horses for training in the UK. We understand owners' decisions to entrust their horses to trainers they perceive as being in top form. Top British trainers acknowledge the cyclical nature of the sport, hence we must allow these interventions time to take effect."
She emphasised the ongoing monitoring of the situation and the continuous evaluation of potential interventions. Discussions between the BHA and bookmakers concerning levy reform are in progress. Greg Swift, the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, highlighted the crucial connection between competitiveness and levy reform.
Swift commented,
"Competitiveness directly ties back to the necessity for levy reform. Our appeals to the DCMS have consistently stressed the importance of levy reform in ensuring a flow of funds into the sport to uphold Britain's competitive standing in the industry. This is a priority that we will persistently advocate for."