Caborn welcomes horse racing deal
The Sports Minister has welcomed a deal between the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the British Horseracing Board (BHB).
The OFT launched an investigation into horseracing after it identified a number of concerns with the existing structure.
Specifically, the level of central control exercised by the BHB and the “way BHB could exploit horseracing commercially through its control over racing data.”
It was concerned that competition between racecourses was restricted by the BHB “preventing them from altering their racing in response to consumer demand, and prevented the emergence of alternative providers of racing data.”
Following the reforms racecourses will now be able to compete for existing racing fixtures and to bid for new ones and there is an end to the “50 mile rule” which prevented racecourses within 50 miles of each other offering racing on the same day.
In addition two new bodies will be established, one to deal with the commercialisation of the BHB racing database, and the other to provide a point of arbitration for bookmakers in the event of any increase in rates for data access.
Richard Caborn said he is “delighted” at the news an agreement has reached.
Mr Caborn said: “The OFT investigation has made the sport take a fresh look at itself and I think racing will be the better for it. “
“Now racing can concentrate on doing what it does best – producing great drama like the Derby last weekend – and proving that it is a sport which adapts to changing times. The industry, punters and the public will all benefit from that.”
The chairman of the OFT, John Vickers, said: “The BHB’s reforms give British horseracing a more competitive future. Greater freedom for courses – old and new – to compete to meet the demands of race goers, punters and owners should be good for the public and for the sport.”
The BHB has welcomed the OFT’s acceptance of its proposals, saying that a fixtures “free for all” has now been adverted.
