The BHA Podcast

Notable Speech’s performance in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury was the joint-best since Frankel won the race in 2012, according to BHA Head of Handicapping Dominic Gardener-Hill. Hear Dominic’s full reflections on Saturday’s race, plus his view on Notable Speech’s prospects for the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

To mark the start of Racing Together Community Week, we revisit Lucy Gurney's recent interview for The BHA Podcast.Lucy has held roles at the Jockey Club Rooms and Weatherbys, and is currently Community Engagement Manager for Racing Together.She spoke to host Nick Lightfoot about British racing’s nationwide week of employee volunteering and explained how you can get involved.----What is Racing Together Community Week?British racing’s nationwide week of employee volunteering on 18-24 May 2026.Initiated to collectively inspire and showcase racing creating impact in their communities through volunteeringVolunteering activity ranges from skills sharing, to careers days, environmental clean-ups and moreThis year it is also an opportunity to talk about British racing’s year-round community and social impactThe optional theme is ‘tackling loneliness’. It is designed to support those racing organisations that would like to align to an industry-wide theme.It’s a nationwide initiative, supported via the website and social media, tag @racingtogetherOver 90 racing organisations signed up to give back to their local communities through volunteering 700+ hours in 2025. Watch a previous round up video below.More information: https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/racing-together-community-week/

BHA Head of Handicapping Dominic Gardiner-Hill joins Tommy Churchyard to dissect Bow Echo’s impressive 2000 Guineas success for George Boughey and Billy Loughnane at Newmarket on Saturday.Dominic also touches on True Love’s win in the 1000 Guineas in the hands of Wayne Lordan.Ratings are updated every Tuesday at https://www.britishhorseracing.com/regulation/official-ratings/ratings-database/

The latest BHA Podcast finds host Nick Lightfoot at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile during the Betfred Guineas Festival. As the crowds flock once more to enjoy world class racing at one of British sport’s iconic venues, the threat posed by affordability checks continues to loom large. The BHA’s Director of Communications Greg Swift explains to Nick why this is such a pivotal week. Later, Lucy Gurney stops by to explain how you can get involved in the 2026 Racing Together Community Week.=====Affordability checks – Save Our BetsThe sport has come together to make clear its opposition to what are more commonly known as affordability checks. More than 400 people from racing and cross party MPs/Peers signed an open letter to Lisa Nandy MP, the Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, urging her to instruct the Gambling Commission to stop the roll-out of the checks this spring.Racing and betting have also joined forces with The Sun newspaper’s ‘Save Our Bets’ campaign and we have launched an online portal for racing fans and punters to write to their local MP asking them to put pressure on the Government to halt the checks.Why are we doing this?According to betting operators who have worked on the Gambling Commission’s pilot of checks, which has been running for more than 18 months, the credit reference agencies (CRAs) used are obtaining vastly different results for the same customer and an insufficient level of data to profile customer risk. It means that if these checks were implemented now they would not be entirely ‘frictionless’ for punters.It would mean some would still be required to hand over personal financial documents such as payslips and bank statements, but at new, lower thresholds than the current 2024 Voluntary Industry Code.As the BHA and racing have outlined consistently since the publication of the 2023 Gambling White Paper – including in our ‘Right to Bet’ campaign that year which saw over 100,000 people sign our petition which led to a debate in Parliament – affordability checks as they stand would have severe consequences for the sport’s finances.And in allowing the GC to implement the checks in their current form, the Government would also directly contradict its own position. Previous DCMS Minister Stuart Andrew MP said checks would only be implemented if they could be proven to be “truly frictionless.”=====Racing Together Community Week 2026Racing Together Community Week, British racing’s national week of employee volunteering, will take place from 18–24 May 2026, bringing together organisations from across the sport to support communities nationwide.Last year saw a record 90+ racing organisations, including racecourses, trainers, owners and staff, take part in the initiative, delivering a wide range of volunteering activities that made a positive impact in local communities.Now in its seventh year, Racing Together Community Week has more than doubled participation since 2020. The initiative celebrates the collective efforts of the British racing industry to support local causes through activities including school outreach programmes, charity partnerships, community clean-ups, food bank support and wellbeing sessions.New for 2026 is an optional theme designed to inspire new volunteering ideas and align activity across the sport.Racing Together is encouraging organisations to support work addressing loneliness in local communities. The charity is currently delivering a BHA pilot programme, funded by the Racing Foundation, at six racecourses exploring how racing can help tackle loneliness in the areas surrounding racecourses.This work forms part of the sport’s social impact strategy, find out more here. Those interested in aligning their activity with this theme are encouraged to contact Racing Together to discuss ideas: lucy@racingtogether.co.uk

BHA Handicapper Martin Greenwood joins host Tommy Churchyard to provide his take on I Am Maximus’ historic second Grand National success at Aintree on Saturday.Ratings updated every Tuesday: https://www.britishhorseracing.com/regulation/official-ratings/ratings-database

Former jockey Barry Geraghty, who won the Grand National in 2003 aboard Monty's Pass, will be joined by fellow weighing room legends Sir Anthony McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Mick Fitzgerald to deliver a briefing to all jockeys riding in the 2026 Randox Grand National. In this excerpt from the latest BHA Podcast, Barry shares his memories of riding in the race and tells us the key messages he'll be passing on to those competing today.

One of the best days of the year is finally here! It's the 2026 Randox Grand National and we've got everything you need to start your morning. BHA CEO Brant Dunshea joins host Nick Lightfoot to run through some of the big recent headlines, before James Given stops by to discuss the BHA's role in keep the equine stars of the show safe and healthy. Meanwhile, on-course at Aintree, Mark Scully speaks to a Grand National legend as Barry Geraghty shares the advice he gives to the riders as part of his jockey briefing.

BHA handicapper Adam Barnes joins Tommy Churchyard to discuss Constitution Hill, who received an official rating following his second Flat win last week. He won in the Virgin Bet Novice Stakes at Kempton Racecourse on Wednesday (25.03.26).• Constitution Hill’s unbeaten start• His new handicap mark• Future prospects on the Flat The ratings are updated every Tuesday at britishhorseracing.com/regulation/official-ratings/ratings-database