HBLB

A total of £2.3 million will be invested on disease surveillance, veterinary science and education programming by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) beginning in 2024. In addition to the ongoing Infectious Disease Surveillance Programme, the new activity will include: six major research projects four small research projects one research scholarship. All of the work will be managed by the HBLB's Veterinary Advisory Committee (VAC). Making contributions alongside the HBLB are the British European Breeders' Fund (BEBF), the Gerald Leigh Charitable Trust, The Racing Foundation and the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association...

If you follow Alan Delmonte on Twitter or X, or whatever they call it these days, you will know him for his offbeat sense of humour. But as chief executive of the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) for the past 11 years, he has one of the most serious jobs in British racing, overseeing the distribution of around £100m a year. Delmonte is, to some extent, the sport's Chancellor of the Exchequer, but there is an awful lot of important work going on behind the scenes at the Levy Board that make...

The Horserace Betting Levy Board's (HBLB) 2022/23 Annual Report outlined that statutory Levy income to the Board was £100 million, the highest since the Levy collection reforms of 2017. The last two months of Apr. 1, 2022 through Mar. 31, 2023 term saw bookmakers' gross profits increasing significantly on the Board's projections taking into account the actual results to that point and historic comparisons. Over the 12-month period, the Board reports of a continuing decline in turnover (amount staked) which was being partially mitigated by improved margins and gross win...

The third annual National Racehorse Week, from Sept. 9-17 in the UK, has been deemed a success after a record number of open days and community events, Great British Racing (GBR), who funds the initiative alongside the Racing Foundation and Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), announced on Tuesday. Over 15,000 free places were made available across the seven days across the country for the public to come and experience a day in the life of a racehorse. From training facilities and studs, to aftercare and rehoming centres, 209 different events...

Over £10 million in bonuses have now been paid out by the Great British Bonus (GBB) scheme, the organisation announced on Friday. Started three years previously, the scheme incentivises and rewards the breeding, buying and racing of British-bred fillies by awarding bonuses of up to £20,000 per race. GBB Operations Executive, Charlie Newton said, "We are thrilled to have reached this record milestone. The scheme arrived at a time when it was desperately needed. Not only were we feeling the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, but the breeding industry had...

The third Economic Impact Study of the British Thoroughbred breeding industry was published on Wednesday. In the report, key opportunities and challenges for the sector were outlined and provide a blueprint for future progress. Building on reports published in 2014 and 2018, the study was commissioned by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and conducted by PwC. Both the Racing Foundation and Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB) funded the project. British breeding was found to have an impact of over £375m of gross value added to the rural economy, as well...

A third UK Thoroughbred industry economic impact study began on Friday, following confirmation of funding support from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB). The third study of its kind was commissioned by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), with additional financial support from the Racing Foundation, and will provide an up-to-date audit of the British market, analysing the impact of wider economic and political factors to identify emerging challenges and opportunities. PwC has been appointed to conduct the study. The wider racing ecosystem will also be explored in the study, including...

There will be an increase in prize money contributed by the Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB) in 2022. Fixture-related funding will increase to £90 million for UK racing's 2022 fixture list, with £70 million specifically allotted for prize money, £10 million more than was set aside for that purpose in both 2018 and 2019. These sums do not include the additional grants for prize money and towards regulation and integrity already announced following the HBLB taking a £21.5 million loan from the UK Government's Sport Winter Survival Package. The HBLB...

A contribution of £28.1 million towards the funding of the UK racing's fixture list from Sept. 1-Dec. 31 was agreed to by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) on Monday. Of that amount, £21.8 million will go toward prize money, bringing the HBLB's annual prize money grants to just over £78 million, 32% higher than the £59.3 million originally approved for 2020 prior to the disruption caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These 2021 figures do not include the sums for further prize money and regulatory grants announced as part...

Approximately £80 million will be the Levy income for the year that ended on Mar. 31, 2021, the Horserace Betting Levy Board announced on Monday. The figure is a result of provisional submissions to date from most Levy-paying bookmakers. Originally, as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed in the UK, the HBLB had estimated a Levy return between £76-£85 million. Racing in the UK was halted from mid-March until June 1, 2020. HBLB Chairman Paul Darling commented, "There was no British racing for the first two months of the Levy year and...

A financial contribution has been agreed upon by the Levy to ensure the continuation of the career-ending insurance scheme for jockeys for another six months, the Horserace Betting Levy Board announced on Wednesday. The grant, which will total up to £80,000 max, will be combined with funding provided by the Professional Jockeys' Association (PJA), as the PJA continues to search for a sponsor in the long term. "This scheme has been in place for almost 10 years, paid for by commercial sponsorship and contributions from jockeys," said HBLB Chairman Paul...

There will be 14 additional fixtures added to the UK racing calendar following approval by the Board of the British Horseracing Authority. The proposal was submitted by the Racecourse Association (RCA) which has the full support of the Horsemen's Group (HB). The fixtures have been added to shore up racecourse finances, as well as generate a positive return for the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB). The 14 fixtures are as follows: Flat Fixtures: 15/11/20 Southwell - Afternoon 22/11/20 Wolverhampton - Afternoon 23/11/20 Chelmsford City - Floodlit 24/11/20 Lingfield Park -...