Successful Horseracing Industry Conference delivered with the Racing Foundation

Ruth Dancer, Director at White Griffin Ltd leads a session in sustainability in sport

In partnership with the Racing Foundation, The University of Liverpool’s Management School co-organised the prestigious Horseracing Industry Annual conference for the sixth consecutive year.

Hosted by leading sports broadcaster Rishi Persad, the conference brought together leading speakers from throughout the horseracing industry at York Racecourse on Tuesday 24 October.

Welcoming more than 200 delegates, the conference, entitled Modernising Racing: How Far and How Fast?, heard discussions on a range of salient issues including horseracing’s environmental sustainability and wider industry modernisation strategy.

Addressing delegates, Racing League Foundation owner Jeremy Wray discussed the “massive existential crisis” faced by racing. He stressed the importance of an ITV primetime docuseries focussing on jump racing, planned for next year, in persuading younger generations to relate to the sport.

The University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Science also helped organise a session on equine breeding, where panellists discussed the differences in breeding in thoroughbred racing and other equine sports, such as show jumping and polo.

At the Management School, a number of academics are currently conducting wide-ranging research into the horseracing industry including analysis of betting markets.

Neil Coster, from University of Liverpool Management School who was involved in the organising of the conference, said: “It’s fantastic that this conference has become an established fixture in the industry’s calendar and has become a great opportunity for our research to be considered and discussed by those at the forefront of the sport.

“For the last six years we’ve partnered with the Racing Foundation in running the conference, attendance has gone from strength to strength and it’s great to see a range of industry executives engaged in discussions about the challenges and opportunities for horseracing.”