The BHA Podcast

In his first interview since being confirmed as the BHA's Chief Executive, Brant Dunshea joins Nick Lightfoot to share his hopes for the future of the sport and reflect on the departure of Lord Charles Allen as BHA Chair.

The BHA confirmed the permanent appointment this morning (05.03.26).
Brant has been leading the BHA in an acting capacity since December 2024 following the departure of Julie Harrington.
He has held several senior positions at British racing’s governing and regulatory body since joining the organisation in March 2015, most recently as Chief Regulatory Officer prior to being appointed acting CEO.
The BHA board has also approved the appointment of David Jones as Interim Chair. This follows the resignation of Lord Charles Allen on Tuesday 3 March.
David assumes the role for a second time, having previously filled the position between Joe Saumarez Smith stepping down in January 2025 and Lord Allen formally joining the BHA in September of the same year.
He was appointed to the BHA Board in January 2021 as Senior Independent Director, with extensive experience of British racing and the regulation of the sport, including as a BHA steward for more than a decade.
Steps will now be taken to recruit a permanent BHA Chair.

Brant Dunshea, Chief Executive Officer of the BHA, said:

“I am delighted to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the BHA.
“It is no secret that the sport has experienced a challenging period as it faces up to the process of change at a governance level, but I want to be clear that this has not stopped the BHA and the industry making important progress to safeguard the long-term health of British racing.
“The past year has seen growth in racecourse attendances, the success of the Axe The Racing Tax campaign, major initiatives to ensure more horses are raced and retained on our shores and continued improvements in horse and human welfare.
“I know that the incredible team at the BHA shares my deep passion for our sport and is committed to securing a brighter and more sustainable future for our people and horses.
“It is a huge privilege to be given this opportunity to lead such a knowledgeable and dedicated team at a time of great opportunity for British racing.”

Read more: https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/brant-dunshea-appointed-bha-chief-executive-officer-with-david-jones-confirmed-interim-chair/

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The BHA Podcast podcast features interviews with senior leaders within the organisation, as well as stories of the work of those who make racing happen every day and is hosted by broadcaster Nick Lightfoot.
Listeners are encouraged to share their own questions at [email protected], which in future episodes will be put directly to the relevant BHA figure to provide answers as often as is practicably possible.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Nick Lightfoot for all the action from the 2026 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards sponsored by Godolphin.
This episode features live reaction straight from The Pavillion at Ascot Racecourse, where the star-studded ceremony took place on Monday 23 February.
We catch up with BHA Chief Executive Brant Dunshea, Chair of the Judging Panel Nick Luck, host Ed Chamberlin and Raceday TV's Frankie Foster before speaking to the winners on the night. There's even a guest appearance by Welsh boxing legend Joe Calzaghe.
Congratulations to Freddie Wilks, Louisa Allen, Kieran Kourdache, James Goddard, Derek Snaith and Hayley Clements.
Generously sponsored by Godolphin and organised by the BHA, in partnership with Racing TV, Racing Post and Ascot Racecourse Supports, the awards recognise and celebrate the people at the heart of British racing and breeding.

You can watch highlights from the ceremony over at thoroughbredawards.co.uk.
Find out more about the winners at britishhorseracing.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BHA CEO Brant Dunshea joins host Nick Lightfoot for the final episode of the year to reflect on an extraordinary year for British racing.

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The BHA Podcast podcast features interviews with senior leaders within the organisation, as well as stories of the work of those who make racing happen every day and is hosted by broadcaster Nick Lightfoot.
Listeners are encouraged to share their own questions at [email protected], which in future episodes will be put directly to the relevant BHA figure to provide answers as often as is practicably possible.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a busy episode of the BHA Podcast, host Nick Lightfoot is joined Richard Wayman and Tom Byrne also stop by to reflect on a busy 2025 for their Racing Department, look ahead to 2026 and pick out their on-track highlights of the year.
BHA integrity bosses Aja Hall and John Burgess also stop by unpack the extraordinary Hillsin investigation following its recent conclusion.

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The BHA Podcast podcast features interviews with senior leaders within the organisation, as well as stories of the work of those who make racing happen every day and is hosted by broadcaster Nick Lightfoot.
Listeners are encouraged to share their own questions at [email protected], which in future episodes will be put directly to the relevant BHA figure to provide answers as often as is practicably possible.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Nick Lightfoot at the BHA’s office in London, where Chief Executive Brant Dunshea and Director of Public Affairs Greg Swift give their immediate reaction to the 2025 Budget, in which Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that racing would be exempt from a betting duty increase.

#AxeTheRacingTax

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British horseracing welcomes the decision by the UK Government today (November 26) to spare the industry from any punishing increase in direct gambling taxation.
In her Budget, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that racing’s remote betting tax rate would remain at 15% in recognition of its vital importance as a cultural and sporting asset enjoyed by millions of people across the country every year.
A rise in taxation on online horserace betting would have had catastrophic implications for an industry that is an integral part of British society and culture, supporting 85,000 livelihoods and with an economic impact of £4bn.
It is welcome that the Chancellor has today rightly recognised the vital importance of racing as a cultural, social and economic asset and acted to help secure the sport’s long-term future.
The Chancellor’s positive decision recognises the potential damage to our sport, and the jobs supported by it, if the Government followed through on its proposal to “harmonise” remote gambling taxes and place horserace betting at the same rate as online casino betting.
While the BHA led the sport’s response to the Treasury’s consultation, it was an all-of-sport effort to come together in a way which demonstrated the strength and solidarity of racing when collaborating with a shared purpose. We are grateful that the Treasury and No10 have listened to racing, speaking as one, and acted to protect the future of racing.
We also note the increases in other gambling duties for the betting industry a result of the Budget, given the Government’s need to raise more money from general taxation. The relationship between racing and betting remains as important as ever and we will be working with our partners in the betting industry to understand the impact of this on British racing.
The BHA will now analyse the Budget documents in greater detail to establish whether there are any other potential issues that may impact racing.
We look forward to continuing to work with the Government to champion our sport and ensure that British racing can support its agenda for growth moving forward.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.