Joint trainers’ licences to be available

TWO people can apply for a joint training licence, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced.

The move is one of the permanent rule changes to take effect on 1 June.

The BHA confirmed to H&H last year it was working on training partnerships with the National Trainers Federation (news, 14 November 2019).

Other changes include a tweak to the restrictions on professional jockeys wanting to switch back to amateur licences.

Current rules mean anyone who has held a professional licence, other than as an apprentice or conditional (professional jockey under the age of 26, employed by a licenced trainer, who has not reached a certain number of winners), may not ride as an amateur – regardless of how many winners they have ridden.

This condition has now been removed, and the only barrier is the number of winners someone has ridden while holding anything other than an amateur licence. This remains at 25.

Other rule changes include the requirement for vaccinations in passports to be pre-cleared via a new app, to help maintain social distancing. The process for trainers registering a horse as permanently retired, and the option to create a non-racing agreement, has moved online.