Fast Facts
Principal organisation: British Horseracing Authority (BHA)
Racecourses: 59
Registered thoroughbred foal crop of 2019: 4,748 (Weatherbys)
Thoroughbred racehorses in training: 14,000 approx. (BHA)
Most famous flat race: Epsom Derby, run in June
Most famous jumps race: The Grand National at Aintree, run in April
Find out more:
British Racing Fact Sheet
Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project was launched in 2016 as part of a shared vision between Godolphin and the town’s secondary school to support and enrich the lives of young people in the local community. The initiative uses racing community assets and networks to provide a structured, measurable education programme across all year groups (11-16 years), including guidance on opportunities and pathways to employment within the sport and associated industries in Newmarket. The programme is delivered by the charity Racing to School.
Under Starter’s Orders is a community schools project aimed at introducing Year 5 pupils (nine to 10-year-olds) from primary schools in and around Newmarket to the horseracing industry. USO encompasses visits to four different venues – Dalham Hall Stud, National Horse Racing Museum, The National Stud and The July Racecourse – over three days. It gives children the opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes in the horseracing industry and gain an initial understanding of the benefits it might offer them in the future.
This project is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the horseracing community. A collaboration between the British Racing School and Youth Unity, it offers invaluable insights into horseracing and aims to provide pathways to education and employment in the industry. During the induction week there are opportunities to discuss the various pathways and how to get involved. Many of the courses are funded with guaranteed employment at the end. Ideal for those who are not in education, employment or training, but not exclusively young people aged 16 to 24. No prior experience with horses is necessary as full training is provided.
HEROS Charity was set up in 2006, with a primary focus on retraining and rehoming retired racehorses. Having spent a lifetime working in racing, Grace Muir recognised the potential these horses had for a change of career when their racing days were over. However, HEROS now also provides a range of education and training initiatives, including alternatives to school placements for 11 to16-year-olds and courses for post-16 learning. HEROS specialises in engaging SEN students and those who are struggling in mainstream education.
The annual Royal Ascot Schools Art Competition was launched in 2018, inviting local pupils to send in their colourful artwork with the chance to win £1,000 for their school. The winning entries are displayed in the Heath Tunnel, which runs from Ascot High Street to the Heath, until the following year’s competition. In 2024, Ascot received more than 1,300 entries from 26 schools, which gained more than 4,000 votes.
National Racehorse Week is an annual celebration of the racehorse and a chance to see first-hand the love, care and attention that goes into looking after these animals. It provides experiences for local communities to connect with the racehorse with the aim of inspiring the next generation, growing new audiences, promoting inclusivity and showcasing racing as a force for good.
A number of trainers and racehorse aftercare centres open their doors to allow people from schools, urban equestrian centres, children’s hospitals, emergency services and many other charities and community organisations to visit their yards. It’s a great opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the industry and the excellent care racehorses receive from those who work with them.
Link to infographic: NRW 2023 Infographic
British racing’s National Day of Volunteering sees local communities working together to help others in May every year. In 2024, more than 1,500 hours were donated by teams from 75 organisations, including racecourses, owners/breeders and stakeholders, homeless charities and food banks.
The Supporter Network was launched to help drive applications to the Racing Media Academy as part of a commitment to encourage a more diverse and inclusive cohort. But it quickly became apparent that there was a much wider opportunity for horseracing.
The Supporter Network enables structured, regular communication with partner organisations. These relationships have also cultivated other organisations which they are affiliated with, to support the Racing Pathway strategy with initiatives such as the Racing Media Academy, the Racing Business Apprenticeship, the Gerald Leigh Trust Racing Experience Weeks at The British Racing School with Youth Unity, Apprenticeships at Lingfield Park with The Stephen Lawrence Foundation and ARC.
Park Palace Ponies is an inner-city starter riding school which opened in April 2017 in the Dingle area of Liverpool. Aiming to inspire a new generation of riders and to make riding more accessible to inner-city youngsters, the school offers introductory lessons for seven to 10-year-olds. Aintree and Park Palace Ponies have joined forces to offer youngsters a host of horseracing and Grand National activities.
Wetherby Racecourse partnered with WiSE in 2022. WiSe offers services to improve the quality of life for over-60s in Wetherby and the surrounding area. The partnership enables the charity to bring some of their WiSE friends for a day at the races, twice a year. The racecourse provides a warm, comfortable viewing suite together with free entry and complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits, and WiSE volunteers get everyone to the course and support them on the day. To date,150 local elderly residents have visited the racecourse, including a partially sighted woman who enjoyed her first social outing in seven years, and a 92-year-old who enjoyed his first-ever trip to the races!
Our Residential Week is a fun, riding-based introduction to British horseracing for 14 to 16-year-olds and is hosted at the British Racing School in Newmarket. It caters for young people with some experience of riding at an urban equestrian academy as well as those with no experience. During the week, students learn to look after racehorses, improve their riding and have a go on an equiciser. Students also take part in a number of trips, including to the races, Newmarket’s Gallops and veterinary surgeons.
The PRA Pony Racing Academy Scheme is for children who do not have a pony and are unable to participate in pony racing due to financial or circumstantial reasons. The course consists of 12 sessions that take place over three to 12 months. The mounted and unmounted coaching sessions, pony hire and costs of a raceday are fully funded. Over 300 children have completed the scheme so far and each year PRA aims to enable more children to achieve their dream of riding in their first pony race. Three Academy Graduates are now riding as licensed jockeys ‘under rules’ in the UK.
The Racing Media Academy is part of the Non-Yard Based Career Pathway into horseracing; for those people who love the idea of working in racing but can’t necessarily, or don’t want to ride horses. The Racing Media Academy gives students the opportunity to get work experience and training within racing’s top media houses. An intensive week’s training has been designed at the British Racing School, where students get an insight into the world of horseracing and learn about the different areas of the media. Following this, they go on to a paid placement at one of the leading media organisations.
Arena Racing Company partnered with the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation to create a series of apprenticeships at Lingfield Park Racecourse. The partnership is the first of its kind in horseracing and will build an employee pipeline with diverse lived experiences and cultures, as well as supporting succession into more senior roles within the business.
