British racing bombshell as The Jockey Club leave ‘stifling’ Racecourse Association and start building new organisation

A general view of runners and riders in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on day one of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Tuesday March 10, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial Use only, commercial use is subject to prior permission from The Jockey Club/Cheltenham Racecourse. Credit: PA BRITISH racing has been rocked by the bombshell news that The Jockey Club is to leave The Racecourse Association at the end of the year. In a statement, Jockey Club boss Jim Mullen said a new organisation was already being put together to work with the likes of Ascot racecourse, who left the RCA earlier this year. The Jockey Club, which counts Aintree among the racecourses it owns, is to leave The Racecourse Association at the end of the year, joining Ascot in quitting the body Credit: PA Mullen accused the RCA of ‘stifling’ the necessary changes needed in racing, such as ‘substantive changes to the fixture list’. The Jockey Club owns 15 racecourses in Britain, chief among those Cheltenham and Aintree, which host the two biggest festivals in the calendar. In a statement released on Monday morning, Mullen said: “While acknowledging the work that has taken place since March, we have consistently set out throughout the review that it needed to address not just the racecourse voting shares within the RCA, but the organisation’s role in representing racecourses politically through its 50% holding of member shares in the BHA. “This review has addressed the RCA’s internal arrangements, but not the constitutional arrangements through which racecourses collectively exercise their influence over the governance of British racing. “The RCA’s proposals fail to address our fundamental concern that the RCA can continue to act to stifle the necessary changes needed in the industry. “Nothing proposed would displace the RCA as the political representative of British racecourses and in our view, confirmed by recent discussions, the RCA would continue to vote against necessary changes such as the introduction of an independent BHA board and substantive changes to the fixture list. “While recent talks have focused on the valuable operational services provided by the RCA to the wider racecourse community, it is our view that without change to the political representation, the price of maintaining those operations is sadly too high when judged against the political role the organisation plays and its ability to suppress reform. “In stepping away we remain committed to participating in decisions related to British Racing’s future. Most read in Horse Racing “We have therefore begun discussions with the British Horseracing Authority to explore the most appropriate framework for representing the interests of those within the industry who share a commitment to the long-term sustainability and quality of British racing. “As set out, the BHA articles aim to ensure ‘as far as is practicable that the membership and structure [of the BHA] remains as representative of Racing as possible’. “It is our intention to work with Ascot Racecourse and other likeminded industry partners to pursue a vision based on the long-term sustainability of the sport and we are in the early stages of establishing a new organisation to do this. “We accept that other racecourses may wish to pursue different avenues to reform the RCA and we respect their choice, but we believe that at the heart of this debate is the core principle that racing must be able to tackle the challenges it faces, free from self-interest and short-term priorities and this is best achieved by an independent BHA which is able to take input from all stakeholders but ultimately empowered to make timely and effective decisions in the best interests of the sport overall.” FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Comment now