Keep Owners in Racing

Time for a Task Force – A Coalition of the Capable, the Competent and the Committed

The Keep Owners in Racing team have had a really busy few weeks, with a considerable number of phone calls and Zoom conferences covering not just the key stakeholders but also many individuals who... Read

by Jon Hughes

29th September

Oliver Twist Asked for More – The Begging Bowl Comes Out Again for Sport and British Racing

There have been a number of metaphors recently about British Racing, the Recovery Plan and the funding crisis, and doubtless there will be many more over subsequent weeks. Take your pick from... Read

by Jon Hughes

25th September

The Three Pillars – Not the EU or Zen Buddhism, but Our Critical Priorities for British Racing

Sean Boyce kindly invited me to take part in The Racing Debate on Sky Sports Racing last Sunday, and I concentrated on the need for an urgent focus by British Racing on three critical priorities,... Read

by Jon Hughes

21st September

The Corridors of Power – Securing Government and MPs’ Support for the Recovery Plan

Throughout the creation of the blueprint, Ged Shields and I adopted a carefully segmented approach to all the main component parts of British racing. We analysed public domain data and then... Read

by Jon Hughes

17th September

Drama, Debates, Dinners and Digital Dialogues – From the mighty Nijinsky to his relative, Australis

50 years ago I watched Nijinsky win the St. Leger. Such drama. I watched it on black and white TV but saw a photograph of the green, yellow and red colours. I subsequently adopted these for my... Read

by Jon Hughes

15th September

Owners – Our Sport Needs You! But Where Are the Incentives?

In the most recent Perspectives in Racing film, I became a bit carried away towards the end with the military theme that I had woven into Blog 11. This time it was to do with Lord Kitchener and... Read

by Jon Hughes

11th September

“Order, Order” – MPs Should Hold the BHA to Account for the Recovery Plan

On Thursday 3rd September we wrote to 94 MPs and requested their support for a Racing Recovery Plan, not least by Parliament holding the BHA to account for its quality and urgent delivery. All... Read

by Jon Hughes

8th September

If you want a plan of action – learn from a general (or management consultant)

Have you heard the bells of Peover? All will be revealed. When Ged Shields and I launched our campaign on 12th July to make the retention and acquisition of owners the number 1 goal of a racing... Read

by Jon Hughes

4th September

Crossing the chasm, not papering over the cracks – time for radical actions

Those with a fondness for Warner Bros. cartoons will remember Wile E. Coyote as he tried all sorts of complicated ways of catching his prey, the Road Runner. A running gag was of Coyote’s legs... Read

by Jon Hughes

27th August

The 9-Point recovery plan for British racing – a bit of a curate's egg

In the 1890s, Punch magazine ran a series of cartoons about a timid curate eating breakfast with his bishop. On being told by the bishop that he seemed to have a bad egg, the curate piped up: “Oh... Read

by Jon Hughes

27th August

12 Angry Men (& Women) – compulsory viewing for racing's leadership

Back in the 1950s there was an excellent US courtroom drama where jurors were forced to question their values and judgement by the character played by the peerless Henry Fonda. It is an excellent... Read

by Jon Hughes

23rd August

Vive La France: Liberté, égalité, fraternité – and lots of prize-money!

Trainers and owners crossing the Channel in search of prize-money has been much in the news recently, which is hardly surprising in view of the dire economics in the UK. Gay Kelleway, apparently,... Read

by Jon Hughes

20th August

Manifesto for the Future – Campaign Blog

Time for a Task Force – A Coalition of the Capable, the Competent and the Committed

Oliver Twist Asked for More – The Begging Bowl Comes Out Again for Sport and British Racing

The Three Pillars – Not the EU or Zen Buddhism, but Our Critical Priorities for British Racing

The Corridors of Power – Securing Government and MPs’ Support for the Recovery Plan

Drama, Debates, Dinners and Digital Dialogues – From the mighty Nijinsky to his relative, Australis

Owners – Our Sport Needs You! But Where Are the Incentives?

“Order, Order” – MPs Should Hold the BHA to Account for the Recovery Plan

If you want a plan of action – learn from a general (or management consultant)

Crossing the chasm, not papering over the cracks – time for radical actions

The 9-Point recovery plan for British racing – a bit of a curate's egg

12 Angry Men (& Women) – compulsory viewing for racing's leadership

Vive La France: Liberté, égalité, fraternité – and lots of prize-money!