British racing has been handed its most detailed picture yet of how fans and potential customers view the sport, with the BHA confirming that Project Beacon will shape the way racing is presented to both bettors and the wider public.

The findings suggest casual audiences are looking for simpler products and clearer narratives, while long-standing supporters still expect depth and tradition. For bookmakers, that means creating betting options that are easier to understand without alienating serious punters.

A study on unprecedented scale

Funded by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, the research drew on the views of over 7,500 people across the UK and Ireland through surveys and interviews. Officials described it as the most ambitious study of its kind and the clearest view so far of who is open to racing and what is holding others back.

The headline number is significant: 25 million adults across Britain and Ireland can be considered “open to racing.” Of these, nearly 17 million are either casual followers or people who have never properly engaged with the sport.

Eight audience types were mapped out in total, ranging from open-minded newcomers through to seasoned punters and experts. Two segments – open-minded rookies and social stakers – were flagged as offering the greatest growth potential, representing over seven million people. 

But the industry is also being urged not to overlook its core base of serious bettors, event-goers and experts, a combined nine million people who underpin the sport.

Challenges ahead

Beacon also highlighted key barriers. Public concerns over horse welfare remain the single biggest obstacle to wider engagement. Many respondents said they struggled to form an emotional connection with the sport’s personalities and stories, while others found the raceday experience difficult to follow or not compelling enough.

As the BHA acknowledged, these are issues that cannot be ignored if racing wants to attract new backers.

Direction of travel

The study sets out a series of recommendations, including improving the raceday experience, widening access to ownership, building trust around welfare, simplifying the racing calendar and creating stronger stories around jockeys and horses.

It also underlined the value of initiatives already underway. The “Going is Good” campaign was said to align closely with the motivations of growth audiences, while the HorsePWR campaign has helped reshape perceptions of welfare. 

Great British Racing’s increased promotion of jockeys was strongly supported, with evidence showing rider-led content as the single most effective way of reaching new fans. Simplified racecards and the development of Premier Racedays were also backed as steps towards making the sport easier to navigate.

What comes next

To drive delivery, a dedicated Project Beacon office is being created to coordinate priorities and resources across the sport. The initiative forms part of a broader governance and marketing review already in motion.

Although Beacon sits alongside other strands of strategy – including participant wellbeing, environmental sustainability and safeguarding the future of the thoroughbred – it has been positioned as central. 

As the report concludes, racing now has hard evidence on how millions of people see the sport, what attracts them and what puts them off. The challenge will be turning that knowledge into action, keeping loyal supporters engaged while opening the doors to a new generation of fans.

In other news, the BHA has recently released its 2026 fixture list, putting a spotlight on higher prize money across the racing programme. 

From grassroots novice races to top-level black-type events, the move is aimed at making British racing more competitive and reinforcing the UK’s status in the global racing and breeding scene.

The latest calendar also features a £77m investment package designed to support the sport and tackle a key challenge: increasing the number of horses trained and retained in Britain.

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