TWELVE racecourses could be BANNED from hosting fixtures under new rule

TWELVE British racecourses could be BANNED from hosting fixtures under radical new BHA sanctions.

The punishment will come in if the tracks do not finish improvements to their weighing rooms by the new mandatory deadline.

PARacecourses are now under huge pressure to finish improvement work to their weighing rooms – or face being banned from hosting meetings[/caption]

Racecourses across Britain are under pressure to improve their facilities for jockeys after years of lagging behind.

Some 14 tracks, including Leicester and York, have finalised their upgrade work while another 14 are due to complete this year.

However, the BHA have threatened to come down hard on any racecourses which do not finish the work on time.

A statement from the sport’s governing body issued on Wednesday confirmed some 12 tracks – which were not named – are set to finish their upgrades by December 31, 2027.

The statement laid bare the punishment for not completing on time, saying: “Racecourses that fail to meet the 31 December 2027 deadline will not be permitted to stage a fixture until the redevelopment has been completed.”

Brant Dunshea, the BHA’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our jockeys are elite athletes and the facilities they use should reflect this.

“We understand the disappointment that the work has taken longer than expected, especially as where racecourses have completed their upgrades, the new layout works well and the feedback is very positive.

“The firm deadlines we are announcing today are hopefully a significant step forward.

“They are underpinned by clear regulatory action and linked directly to a racecourse’s licence to hold fixtures.

“We hope that this action provides reassurance to jockeys, valets, officials and everyone else operating in a weighing room on a raceday about our commitment to delivering the necessary improvements – and doing so as quickly as possible.”

Racing’s leaders committed to improving weighing room facilities in November 2021 with the aim of completing the work by October last year.

Essential safeguarding measures were delivered at all racecourses in February 2022.

But the BHA themselves admit the wider redevelopment ‘has taken longer than expected’.

Financial and local authority planning-related challenges were said to be a reason for the delays.

Only in exceptional circumstances – such as delays due to heritage listings, planning restrictions or environmental damage from, for example, flooding or fire – will consideration for an extension to the deadline be granted.