Autism in Racing founder Bobby Beevers targets greater employment opportunities at Newmarket event

Helping more autistic people into employment in racing was the theme of an event held in Newmarket on Monday evening, where the sell-out crowd included top jockeys William Buick and Hayley Turner.

Dual champion jockey Buick, who is an ambassador for Autism in Racing, spoke at the event, as did four autism professionals who gave insight into the condition. 

The event, which was staged at Peter O’Sullevan House and sponsored by Racing TV, was the first to be held in Newmarket and was hosted by Autism in Racing founder Bobby Beevers.

He said: “I honestly believe our sport is the best for helping people and what I’m keen on is getting as many autistic people as I can working in our sport. Whether you want to be a jockey, a trainer or even working in marketing at Chelmsford, it’s just a question of whether we can make that happen."

Bobby Beevers at the Autism in Racing workshop

One aspect that Beevers has made progress on is staging autism friendly racedays. Most tracks host a specially funded sensory unit on these days, but Cheltenham and Aintree already have autism-friendly sensory rooms of their own with another course soon to join them. 

Beevers said: “Ascot is opening a sensory room at the end of this month, which is great, and there is also another course in the early stages of development.”

The first autism friendly raceday was staged at Doncaster in 2022, but numbers have since taken off.

Beevers added: “We have 18 courses on board but that is shortly to go up to 20. At Pontefract, every one of their fixtures its year will have the mobile sensory room, which is brilliant."

The session concluded with a question-and-answer session, where Buick’s wife Jane asked if the British Racing School could host groups for autistic prospective jockeys, something that Beevers was going to explore.

William Buick pictured with his son Thomas at Ascot in October 2022Credit: Edward Whitaker

William Buick said: “Autism in Racing gives autistic people a chance to enjoy a raceday and enjoy our industry. Potentially, that could lead to a career in some shape or form in our great industry.

“Although in many aspects its very skilled, at the same time there are many people who hold high positions in racing who aren’t from a racing background at all. Bobby Beevers and his team are doing an amazing job of getting all the racetracks that they have on board with staging Autism in Racing days. They work relentlessly and tirelessly to get more on board. It’s an exciting initiative and I’m privileged to be their ambassador."

On a personal note, Buick added: “Our son Thomas was diagnosed as autistic not that long ago, so we are learning about it all the time. The speakers here tonight have been incredibly interesting discussing the medical and social side of it as well as the employment side.

"From a personal point of view, last year myself and Jane took the opportunity to spread the awareness of autism and we were surprised by how far it reached and the feedback that we got. It helped not just us but a lot of other people as well, so hopefully the idea is to help people feel more included."

Read these next:

Autism In Racing joins forces with National Autistic Society to boost chances of working in the sport  

Autism in Racing founder has big plans after 'phenomenal' first year  

Cheltenham praised as it opens first permanent racecourse sensory room  

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.