British TBA chairman Philip Newton, at this week’s annual general meeting of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, outlined that there is not much cause for levity in British racing and breeding these days. His comments hold warnings for other industries, including South Africa.
“The breeding industry, and as a follow-on, the racing industry, is facing change that it hasn’t seen before, and which threatens its very existence,” Newton warned in his address to around 50 TBA members in attendance at the Jockey Club Rooms.
“I see it very much as my, and the TBA’s, responsibility to ensure that the industry – that’s the full racing industry – understands the treacherous waters it is steering towards, and the consequences of not changing course.”
Newton is plainly dismayed that prior warnings have gone unheeded by those in charge of racing and the fixture list.
“To deal with a problem, in the first instance, you have to acknowledge that there is a problem, and I’m disappointed to say that parts of the industry are in denial about the serious problems the breeding industry is facing,” he added.
Read Emma Berry’s full report on TDN.