John Gosden makes impassioned case on day of strike action over tax fears

On a day when racing staged unprecedented strike action, former champion trainer John Gosden issued a stark warning on the potential consequences should the sport’s plea to the Government to shelve proposed gambling tax changes fall on deaf ears.

Planned meetings at Carlisle, Lingfield, Kempton and Uttoxeter were all cancelled, with many of the sport’s leading figures gathering at Westminster in London for the British Horseracing Authority-led ‘Axe The Racing Tax’ event, amid fears tax on racing bets could be raised from the current 15 per cent to the 21 per cent levied on games of chance.

Economic analysis commissioned by the BHA suggests such a rise could cost the sport at least £66million and put 2,752 jobs at risk in the first year in what BHA chair Lord Allen has termed “nothing short of an existential threat for our sport”.

Gosden was one of several speakers at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre and explained how damaging he feels a rise in gambling taxes to a universal rate would be to his business.

“The implications are very dangerous. We’re starting from a very weak position and this will take the lifeblood out of the game,” he said, the feeling in his words clear.

“I have 100 employees and I won’t be able to sustain that. I’ve been able to sustain that number this year, but if this continues the way it is going, I’ll soon be in the situation of laying off 10, 20 or 30 people.

“That would be tragic, I desperately don’t want to be in that position and you’re talking to someone at the top of the tree – imagine how it is for the guys halfway down. If I can see the impact, that means they are already in the grinder.

“We are not asking for anything other than to be left alone, I understand the Government’s position but I think this is something that will rebound.”

Gosden referred to the words of Dan Tomlinson, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, who described the potential change in taxation as “levelling the playing field”.

The Newmarket-based handler does not share that view, feeling British racing is already operating from a disadvantage as it attempts to compete with the more stable financial position offered by other racing jurisdictions.

He said: “I understand what he (Tomlinson) means, but he should see the playing field we are on compared to our international competitors.

“We are in a weak position and this is only going to make us weaker.

“It concerns me greatly, we are in a fragile state already. As a trainer I am losing horses to other dominions because their revenues are far, far higher.

“British racing is weakened by this continual pattern, people love coming to the big meetings here but we cannot rest on our laurels.

“I would hate to see this industry go the way of others, other industries that we used to excel at but then we neglected them and squeezed the lifeblood out of them.”

Speeches were held on a stage in front of over 200 attendees, with the ‘Axe The Racing Tax’ logo visible on the screen behind as broadcaster Nick Luck hosted the event.

All of the speeches were warmly applauded, as was a moving video paying tribute to the retired staying hurdler Paisley Park that underlined how many industry employees contributed to his career.

Earlier, in Parliament Square, leading riders including Hollie Doyle and champion jockey Oisin Murphy posed for pictures holding an ‘Axe The Racing Tax’ banner.

In his address, acting BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea said: “My job is to create an environment where our owners, breeders, trainers, racecourses, jockeys and our wonderful, wonderful stable staff all thrive. If they thrive, our sport thrives.

“When our sport thrives, the people of our great nation thrive, but when people fear for their future, the nation struggles. Its people suffer and hope in an industry can decline overnight.

“The Government says the purpose of this proposal is to create a simpler system. The Government says its purpose is to create a more streamlined system. And the Government says its purpose is to create a fairer system. The Government has encouraged all interested parties to participate and respond fully to this consultation.

“We have, we are, and our response is clear – no, we do not support this proposed racing tax hike. British racing must be treated differently.”

Dunshea later said he was “absolutely certain” that the message was getting through to the relevant people.

Another high-profile trainer in attendance was Ralph Beckett, winner of last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Bluestocking.

“The most compelling thing for me was the talk of the people who are employed in racing at the grassroots of the sport, it is about them and the horses themselves. I hope that message drives through more than anything,” he said.

“The foal crop is already shrinking and inevitably that will speed up, we already have a race programme that is too big for the horse population as it is. That will be the first thing to bite and the amount of money coming into the sport will then shrink as a result of that.

“We are a special case in contrast to online gaming and other sports, the funding of football does not depend on who bets on it, whereas racing always has.”

A decision on any tax change is expected in the Budget on November 26 and while Tomlinson says racing’s role in the “cultural fabric” of Britain is acknowledged, he underlined there has been no announcement yet.

He said: “We know horse racing is part of the cultural fabric of the country, that’s why it’s the only sector that benefits from a government-mandated levy. Our wider gambling consultation is only about levelling the playing field and simplifying the system, and we are working closely with the industry to understand any potential impacts.”