The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has appointed Sir Philip Davies as the interim Member Nominated Director (MND) of its board, following a selection process by the Racecourse Association (RCA). Sir Philip takes over from Wilf Walsh, who held the position since October 2021.
Earlier this year, Sir Philip was welcomed to the RCA board. He previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Shipley from 2005 to 2024, where he was actively involved in issues related to racing and betting. His parliamentary contributions included co-chairing the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Betting and Gaming and acting as vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Racing and Bloodstock. During his tenure, he helped initiate an inquiry into the prominent review of the 2005 Gambling Act and contributed to discussions surrounding the subsequent 2023 white paper.
In addition to his role at the BHA, Sir Philip currently chairs the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) and the National Horseracing College in Doncaster, and he has prior experience as a board member of the Racehorse Owners Association.
Simon Cox, who recently became the BHA's new non-executive chair, expressed his enthusiasm 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, ensuring that the interests of our sport were understood by his fellow politicians. I look forward to working with him," Cox stated. He also acknowledged Wilf Walsh for his significant contributions over the past five years.
Sir Philip shared his excitement about joining the board, saying, "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."
His appointment coincides with concerns surrounding a potential increase in machine gaming duty (MGD) expected in the upcoming October budget. Analysts from Regulus have estimated that a doubling of MGD could result in an annual loss of approximately £92 million for horse racing, which would represent about one-third of the sector's betting-derived income and jeopardize critical investments in funding and research.
Greg Swift, the BHA's director of communications and corporate affairs, urged the government to consider the ramifications of a tax hike on betting shops for horse racing. He emphasized the need for measures to ensure that British racing, which supports around 85,000 jobs, is placed on a sustainable financial footing.
