A four-person Independent Review has been commissioned by BHB to propose an enforceable and sustainable mechanism by which betting operators can contribute to the funding of British Racing in the future.

BHB today expressed its continued confidence of ultimate success in establishing its database right. However, the Board has agreed cost reductions totalling £8.7m to recognise the time that it may take for the necessary legal processes to be completed.

The FEI held its Bureau Meeting on 15 and 16 November in Buenos Aires (ARG). A major item of consideration was medication control, including the positive test results of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Following a meeting of the BHB Board today, BHB Chairman Martin Broughton said:

British Racing's commitment to modernisation has taken another major step forward with the announcement by the BHB today that it will be implementing a wide-ranging series of changes to the financial, administrative and governance structure of racing outlined in a 42 page document entitled 'The Modernisation of British Racing'.

Baroness Mallalieu has been appointed as an Independent Director of the British Horseracing Board for a two-year period commencing on 1st May 2004.

British Racing tomorrow reaches the next stage in its response to the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) Rule 14 Notice at an oral hearing with OFT officials at which BHB will press home the key points of its submission made last month.

British Racing has united to produce a comprehensive and detailed rebuttal of the Rule 14 Notice issued by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in April. The sport believes there is no foundation for the OFT's charge that racing fails to comply with competition law.

Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral, Stanleys and Dones today each signed five-year deals with the British Horseracing Board for the commercial use of data for their British betting shops as well as their telephone and internet operations.

The British Horseracing Board today reaffirmed its desire to secure a satisfactory comprehensive settlement covering the levy and the commercial mechanism (including pictures for UK betting shops) by 31st October 2001. But BHB will only agree to such a settlement if a number of key conditions are met.

attheraces CEO Chris Stoddart today announced the appointment of three additional members of his senior management team to supplement the recruitment of Marketing Director Gavin Bisdee.

Following a Board meeting this morning BHB Chairman, Peter Savill, said: 'After a lengthy review of the current position in respect of the Go Racing contract, the Board unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of Racing for it to continue to operate an open direct licensing policy for all users of its pre-race data'.

BHB Managing Director, Chris Reynolds, commenting on the RCA’s recommendation of the Go Racing contract to racecourses, said today: