The process of implementing the recommendations set out in the Modernisation of British Racing (MBR) document is continuing. However, given the European Court of Justice Judgement in November 2004, some elements will face inevitable delay, notwithstanding the commitment across the industry to the agreement reached with the Office of Fair Trading in June 2004.

Significant parts of MBR are able to be implemented and either have been or in the process of being effected, meritocratic prize money “bands” have succeeded Minimum Values on the Flat and a substantial number of Orders and Rules have been revised to remove unnecessary restrictions. June 2005 sees racecourses participate in the first-ever fixture bidding process, where courses will directly compete for over 180 fixture slots in 2006, the winning bid in each case being the course which agrees to commit most to prize money.

All this and more news can be found in BHB Bulletin, to which you can subscribe by sending an email to info@bhb.co.uk.