Simon Cox Lands BHA Chair Role; Pinpoints Challenges Facing Industry

The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) have formally appointed Simon Cox as its new permanent chair. A four-month search to find a successor to Lord Charles Allen, who resigned in March, concluded yesterday with Cox taking over the reins on an initial three-year term.

Leading consultancy agency Elevate were tasked with assisting the nominations committee to pick a permanent chair, and former British Horseracing Board (BHB) chair Peter Savill was originally in the frame for the position. But Cox’s credentials and vision for the sport gave him the nod.

Combining business interests

A brewing master by trade, Cox spent over 30 years in the drinks industry, making his mark at Molson Coors. After working his way up to become the company’s chief executive, covering everything outside of the Americas, he helped the company produce roughly £2 billion in turnover.

Cox maintained strong political relationships too. This was underlined by his board roles with the Portman Group and The Brewers of Europe, and his government lobbying efforts paved the way for the abolishment of the beer duty escalator in 2013.

However, Cox has been a prominent racehorse owner for nearly 15 years. Not only that, but Cox has established himself as a thoroughbred expert, with 10 broodmares stationed at Shade Oak Stud, home to the St Leger winner-turned stallion Logician, in whom he owns shares. Despite his large-scale commercial expertise, Cox insists horseracing is his main passion.

Grabbing the bull by the horns

One of the key issues facing horseracing has been attracting a younger demographic. A report published last month by the Spotlight Sports Group suggested there are opportunities to tap into a potential audience of 120 million, and F1 has been cited as the model example to follow.

But it’s not just about uplifting conversion rates. Cox could be a key figure in trying to renegotiate the horseracing levy, given betting on the sport has dropped significantly over the years. Also, the rollout of financial risk assessments (FRAs) by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) has sparked fears more punters will be driven towards the black market.

Reacting to his appointment, Cox said:

“It is an honour to be appointed Chair of the British Horseracing Authority at such an important time for racing and breeding.

“It’s no secret that we face significant challenges and my focus will be on ensuring racing works together to address these, with a particular emphasis on growing participation within the sport, our customer base and critically our income streams. There is really good work already underway, but there is much to do to set our industry up to thrive for generations to come.”

Cox’s passion shines through

Cox, who has always been a big advocate of improving horseracing standards, was praised by the BHA interim chair David Jones.

He said:

“Simon is someone who possesses a steely determination and decisiveness and is, at heart, unwaveringly passionate about seeing British racing succeed.

“He has been a valuable asset to our industry for many years as a fan, owner, breeder, investor and active participant, and has the necessary skillset and demeanour to be an accomplished and successful BHA Chair.”

A sounding board for conversations

Ahead of starting his job on October 1, Cox, will step down from a number of roles, including chairing the BHA’s Jump Pattern committee.

More pertinently, Cox intends to use the time to speak to those within the horseracing community to canvass their views. Such discussions could shape the direction the sport takes under his stewardship.