BHA introduces off-times data

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has published race off-time data as part of the sport’s collective effort to ensure British races are as punctual as possible.

The data, which covers all of 2024, is presented in a league table format, showing the performance of each racecourse, along with primary reasons for delays.

Also included are statistics relating to British racing’s overall punctuality, as well as a breakdown of reasons why races have gone off behind time. Available on the BHA’s website, the data will be updated every quarter on a rolling basis.

In 2024, 78.8 per cent of races went off on time (defined as being within two minutes of the scheduled off time by the sport's cross-industry Commercial Committee), an improvement of 11.5 per cent on 2023. The Commercial Committee has set an industry-wide target for 85% of races to go off on time annually and agreed to publish this data as part of this goal.

In order to continue to move the sport’s punctuality towards that number, the relevant BHA departments, as well as the Racecourse Association (RCA), National Trainers Federation (NTF), Professional Jockeys Association (PJA) and National Association of Racing Staff (NARS) have agreed to consider how existing Rules in this area are enforced, with further communication on this topic to follow in due course.

Richard Wayman, BHA Director of Racing, said: “As we work to ensure British racing performs as strongly as possible, we are aware of the significance of races going off to time for our customers.

“From the impact on betting, to the avoidance of clashes and the overall presentation of our racing on television and the experience for racegoers on course, it is vital that races go off on time whenever possible.

“The publication of this data is a reflection of our shared desire to do this and I am extremely grateful to the daily hard work of BHA and racecourse staff, as well as the sport’s participants, that has already seen the percentage of races off on time increase by 11.5 per cent in 2024 to 78.8 per cent.”

David Armstrong, Chief Executive of the Racecourse Association, said: "“All of our members recognise the importance of races going off to time and work hard every day to ensure this is achieved as much as possible. It is as a result of this work that we have already seen significant improvement in punctuality over the last year.
 
“I hope that, through publishing this data regularly and in a transparent manner, we can further demonstrate to racing’s customers that this is a matter we take seriously and inspire further confidence that racing is working hard together to deliver the best possible product.”