The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has appointed Sir Philip Davies as its new board member, designated as the Racecourse Association’s (RCA) Member Nominated Director (MND). This interim appointment was announced yesterday and follows the RCA's internal selection process, succeeding Wilf Walsh, who has held this position since October 2021.
Sir Philip has been part of the RCA board since earlier this year and served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Shipley from 2005 until 2024. Throughout his political career, he has engaged significantly with the racing and betting sectors, notably as the joint-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Betting and Gaming (APPG) and vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock. His work there included the launch of an inquiry examining the 2005 Gambling Act and its 2023 review.
Currently, he leads the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) and the National Horseracing College in Doncaster, and he previously held a position on the board of the Racehorse Owners Association.
Simon Cox, the new non-executive chair of the BHA, expressed his support for Sir Philip’s appointment. "I am pleased to welcome Sir Philip to the BHA Board. Throughout his time in parliament, he was a strong advocate for racing and betting, helping to ensure the interests of our sport were understood by his fellow politicians, and I look forward to working with him," said Cox. He also thanked Wilf Walsh for his contributions over the past five years.
In a statement, Sir Philip expressed his enthusiasm for joining the BHA Board, stating, "I am delighted to be joining the BHA Board to represent the interests of racecourses. Racing is a sport and industry for which I have long held a strong interest and I look forward to working with board members and stakeholders across the sport to support its long-term success."
Sir Philip’s appointment arrives at a crucial time, as discussions regarding a potential increase in machine gaming duty (MGD) loom ahead of the October budget. Many industry experts warn that this hike could notably affect the horseracing sector. According to an analysis by Regulus, doubling the MGD could impose an annual cost of £92 million on horse racing, which would represent about one-third of its income from betting and jeopardize vital funding for investments and research.
Greg Swift, the BHA’s director of communications and corporate affairs, urged the government to consider the broader implications of a tax increase on betting shops, emphasizing the need to ensure that British racing and the 85,000 jobs it supports achieve a stable financial foundation.
