'We've got nothing to hide' - cautious welcome from courses for Savill's new prize-money pressure group

The boss of one independent course that has shared details of income with Peter Savill's Professional Racing Association says he has "nothing to hide", while a second described the proposal to introduce a kitemark for tracks that meet a certain prize-money standard as "a first step" to a broader agreement. 

In a Racing Post interview at the weekend Savill, the former chairman of the BHB, spoke publicly for the first time of the work of the PRA, which is said to represent around 150 British trainers, and which has come to an understanding with five independent tracks. He said courses that were not open about their income could face exclusion from the pressure group's list of approved fixtures in 2025. 

Savill has previously been critical of the progress made on prize-money agreements with courses by the Thoroughbred Group – which represents owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and racing staff, and which has an official seat on the most influential committees which make up British racing's decision-making structure – and described the PRA's plan to award kitemarks to those tracks that commit at least one third of racing revenue to prize-money as "the best and simplest way to recognise that a racecourse is doing a good job".