Nick Rust to stand down as British Horseracing Authority chief executive
The search has begun for a new chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority after Nick Rust, who became the first former bookie to run the BHA after replacing Paul Bittar in 2015, announced on Tuesday that he will stand down at the end of 2020.
Rust has overseen significant changes to the sport’s funding mechanism from betting since arriving from his previous role in charge of Ladbrokes’ retail division, bringing offshore operators into the Levy system which returns a percentage of bookies’ profits to the sport. He has also taken a keen interest in welfare issues affecting racing, defending the sport’s record while also insisting there will always be more that needs to be done to maintain racing’s “social contract” with the public.
His background in betting initially made him a controversial choice for some as racing’s senior executive but he has for the most part managed to keep a lid on the factionalism that has so often dogged the sport in the past.
There have inevitably been controversies, however, including the saga of a disciplinary case against the former trainer Jim Best, which initially collapsed after the chairman, Matthew Lohn, failed to disclose that he had carried out work for the Authority in the past.
Rust is also thought to be sceptical about the long-term future of whipping for encouragement in British racing, putting him at odds with many jockeys and trainers.
In a message to the BHA staff on Tuesday evening, Rust said that he had spent “much of the past year reflecting on my situation” after a personal bereavement at the end of 2018.
“This is a fantastic job,” Rust said, “leading a team of passionate, hardworking people who want racing to have a prosperous and sustainable future as a clean, fair sport that looks after its horses and its people.”
He added: “The industry’s Horse Welfare Board is finalising an ambitious strategy for further improvement of racing’s exceptional standards of care for our horses. For me, it will be a landmark moment after an unrelenting focus on this issue over the past few years.
“I’ll begin the process of implementing the plan to deliver the BHA’s part of the strategy, but given my decision, it’s the right time for someone else to pick up the challenge of delivering on these ambitions through a programme of work we expect to take five years or more.”
Anne-Marie Phelps, the BHA’s chair, said that “we’re all going to miss Nick’s passion and drive. It is typical of his deep commitment to British racing that he’s given us plenty of time to find a new leader, avoiding a vacuum and ensuring a seamless transition.”