The regulatory body in charge of horse racing in Great Britain, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), announced that its new chair has officially taken the reins of the organization.
As of September 1, 2025, Lord Charles Allen of Kensington holds the role of chair of the Authority.
The new chair thanked the interim chair for his leadership
The new chair replaces David Jones, who has served as interim chair of the BHA since February.
At the time, the Authority's permanent chair, Joe Saumarez Smith, stepped down due to illness.
Regretfully, Saumarez Smith passed away early in February. He has held the role of chair at the BHA since March 2022.
Before that, Saumarez Smith served as a non-executive director since December 2014 when he first joined the Authority.
Commencing his new role, Lord Allen thanked the interim chair, Casino Guru News learned from a press release.
The new chair said: "I want to pay tribute to David Jones, who has provided leadership as interim chair, and to Brant Dunshea, our acting chief executive, and his colleagues whose strong and visible commitment have been vital in leading the organization through the last year."
British horseracing unites against tax changes amid plans for future growth
Lord Allen spoke about the future of British racing, acknowledging that horse racing isn't only a sport but also an industry.
While he supported preserving the sector's rich heritage, upholding the quality, standards and integrity it has set, the new chair highlighted the importance of the development of British racing into a "modern commercial and cultural powerhouse: a sport that commands attention on the global stage, attracts new audiences, inspires fans at home, supports its people, and continues to set the gold standard for the care of the horse."
Moreover, Lord Allen wrote: "With the right governance and ambition, I believe this is possible and I look forward to working across the sector to achieve this vision."
BHA's new chairman spoke about British horseracing, explaining that there are some 85,000 people who are dependent or independently involved in the sector.
Lord Allen is assuming his role at the BHA ahead of a planned protest of British horseracing against proposed changes to taxes.
Opposing the tax hike, all racing will halt on September 10, 2025.
Speaking about this decision, Lord Allen said it is delightful to see the industry join forces and say, "Axe the Racing Tax."
He further added: "It is an historic step to cancel all racing on this date, but this will help us to explain just how concerned we are for the sport on many levels."
