The much-discussed technology programme Racing Digital has come under renewed scrutiny following the removal of its chair, Chris Batterham, amid dispute over the project’s progress and governance.

Batterham, who had overseen the programme since its inception, was removed from his role as Chair by the Racing Digital Board of Directors, according to a statement from the company.

The organisation was set up by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Weatherbys to modernise British racing’s core administrative systems.

In a joint statement to SBC News, Racing Digital, the BHA and Weatherbys said Batterham “was asked to step down as Chair of Racing Digital by the Racing Digital Board, it having been decided that he was not the right person to lead this project to completion”.

However, Batterham, who is a non-executive Director at listed tech firm Nanoco and spent eight years in the same role at fellow Manchester-based company NCC Group, wrote to the Racing Post earlier this week to say that he resigned and expressed “grave concerns” about the project, which was revealed just days before his departure was officially announced.

Racing Digital’s statement to SBC asserted that Batterham had been invited to resign rather than be removed, but that this option was rejected. 

The organisations said that it is “disappointed to see that Chris has chosen instead to present his resignation as if that was his decision, which is clearly not how events unfolded”.

Racing Digital, the BHA and Weatherbys also “wholly reject(ed) the categorically inaccurate and untrue claims made in this letter (to the Racing Post)”.

Batterham also claimed that there had been a lack of a champion at the BHA, as well as raising concerns about the dangers of the programme not delivering the benefits it should to everybody in racing – claims which have again been rejected. 

It has also been suggested that Batterham asked for some industry recognition as part of his departure package, but this was not accepted.

“If that is true, that’s a remarkable request when you consider that it’s coming from a person who’s been chair of an entity that is creating something that’s supposed to be making racing participants’ lives easier, and here we are with a huge delay and spiralling costs,” TV presenter Rishi Persad told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. 

“Two and two does not equal four on this occasion.”

Another bump in the road

The controversy is just one in a series of events since Racing Digital was set up back in 2021. 

It launched with a three-year plan to replace the current Racing Administration website, used across British racing to manage race entries, staff details and ownership records.

According to Racing Digital, the new Racing Digital Hub is intended to “overhaul and modernise how people complete the racing-related administrative tasks that allow everyone to participate in our sport”.

The system is designed to reduce duplication and manual input, make information easier to access and support “more intelligent and effective use of data”, while providing a technology platform capable of supporting future developments across the sport.

Its fixture-planning tool has been in use for the past three years, but the project has been hit with delays. BHA accounts filed with Companies House for the 2024 financial year also revealed the company received £5.9m in loans at the end of that year, invested into platform development. 

Of this £5.9m in loaned cash invested into Racing Digital, £1.9m was loaned in 2023 alone. The BHA’s accounts note that the £5.9m figure was “significantly higher” than was initially planned. 

In this week’s update on Racing Digital’s progress, the  company said: “We are wholly focused and aligned on objectives to get Racing Digital delivered. 

“Under Chris’ leadership, the project has, as we have acknowledged, met with delays, but we are now positioned far better to deliver the work and get this important project completed.”

It added that over the past 12 months it has made “several major changes” to both the organisation and the programme. These include a shift away from using an external technology supplier and the creation of an in-house engineering team. 

Racing Digital said this approach gives it greater control over development and “significantly reduces the cost of delivery”.

New leadership and a new timeline

As part of those changes, COO Rob Glenister will now head the organisation. A former UK Ministry of Defence Programme Manager, Glenister has worked on the programme since 2022.

“(He) subsequently understands the significant positive impact that Racing Digital can have once launched, along with the challenges the programme has faced along the way,” Racing Digital said. 

The organisation now anticipates that the system will be fully developed and tested by the end of this year, with a view to launching to the industry in early 2027.

It added that during 2026, industry stakeholders will begin to benefit from “enhanced data capabilities introduced in phases”, which it says will lay the groundwork for the full launch.

“We recognise that the delays, combined with the lack of engagement in recent years, have been frustrating and understand the disappointment they have caused,” the statement continued. 

“However, we believe the recent changes to the organisation will enable us to fulfil our sole focus: delivering the programme to an outstanding standard.

“Following this, we are committing to providing regular progress updates on the Racing Digital Hub, on this website and across our other channels, in the media and directly with our partners across the industry.

“While the journey has not been without its challenges, we are now confident in delivering a solution that will redefine how the industry is managed and operated at every level.”

A new system, persistent challenges

While there is now a clear public disagreement between the former chair and the project’s backers over the state of Racing Digital, all parties, as well as the wider industry, agree on the fact that the programme has faced challenges and delays.

Racehorse trainer Nick Alexander said: “There’s obviously two sides to the story… but certainly from a participant’s perspective, it’s deeply frustrating that it’s not up and running and the opportunities within it haven’t been maximised yet, haven’t been used at all yet.

“The current system is OK, but there’s a big missed opportunity in not having something much better.”

Horse racing finds itself in a tricky situation in 2026. The sport escaped a direct increase in tax on its operations in the November budget, but the increase in online gaming duty will still affect its finances.

Entain’s decision to end Coral’s sponsorship of the Coral Cup is a clear sign of what this impact could be. Ensuring consistent attendances is another problem the sport has been facing for some time.

Horse racing has been heavily dependent on its relationship with the betting sector for many years, with payments from the horseracing betting levy payments and sponsorship, coupled with media rights deals, providing a bulwark against declining spectator revenues.

While Racing Digital is not a silver bullet to these issues, streamlining administrative tasks via a new platform could put it in a better position to address the challenges it faces.

The next formal update from Racing Digital, which it says will outline the steps in place to ensure delivery of the final platform, is expected in the coming days.