British racing will soon have a new BHA chief executive and chair – but the sport does not need a sugar daddy

If you have yet to apply, there is still plenty of time.

Occupying half a page in Saturday's Racing Post was an advertisement for the soon-to-be vacant role of BHA chief executive. Should you fancy throwing your hat in the ring, you must do so by September 11, almost two months after entries closed in the race to succeed Joe Saumarez Smith as BHA chair. 

We already know who that will not be. As previously reported in this column, a number of former politicians are thought to have been removed from consideration prior to the interview stage. This might seem surprising given the advertisement for the chair role emphasised the successful candidate would need to have "strong contacts at a government level". The job specification also demanded "strong commercial experience from industry", which is evidently deemed more important than having culture secretary Lisa Nandy's mobile number.