The Jockey Club knows how it is perceived and wants to change - but that change must happen faster

For much of this year, Jockey Club members have been asking serious questions of chief executive Nevin Truesdale and his leadership team. There is also a need for the members to ask questions of themselves.

These are difficult times for the Jockey Club, whose financial ability to invest in prize-money and capital expenditure is being hampered by a perfect storm of crises. 

Some are shared across the entire British racecourse sector and include falling income from betting and increased energy costs. For the Jockey Club, the picture has been worsened by a second consecutive attendance slump at the Cheltenham Festival. Members believe the executive board should have seen that coming at an earlier stage and perhaps also done more to stop it happening.