Investment Dictates Experience – ROA leading change for raceday owners

By Kate Freeman, ROA Head of Ownership 

Watching your horse run is one of the most valued parts of ownership, and with the average owner attending the races four to five times a year, delivering the best possible experience matters enormously. 

For the past two and a half years, the ROA has led a cross-industry group focused on improving the on-course owner experience. One of the earliest findings was that racecourses had very limited access to owner information beyond those who checked in through the PASS system. While courses could see horse and owner names, they had no contact details to support communication before or after raceday unless owners booked directly. 

As a result of industry discussions, changes were made in 2024 to the data-sharing agreement between the BHA and racecourses. Basic owner contact information is now shared for all registered owners with a runner. Many owners may already have noticed improvements such as pre-raceday going updates or post-event follow-ups from racecourses - direct outcomes of this work. 

Racecourses have been hugely supportive and recognise the significant investment owners make in the sport. Many have invested heavily themselves in facilities, staffing and the overall owner experience, and there are some excellent examples across Britain. However, feedback from owners also highlights inconsistencies, and when the experience falls below expectations it can leave owners feeling undervalued by a sport they passionately support. 

The challenge is not always with individual racecourses. While they now have better owner contact data, they often still lack the broader picture of who is attending raceday - including the scale and longevity of an owner’s involvement in the sport. 

British racing currently does not have a central CRM system that allows all relevant owner information to sit in one place. Important details such as how many horses an owner has across different syndicates, how long they have been involved in ownership, or milestones they may recently have achieved - from a first winner to a hundredth - are not easily visible. These are all data points that could help racecourses deliver a more personalised and welcoming experience. 

Importantly, this work is not about creating divisions across owner profiles. It is about recognising differing levels of investment - much like the established customer models seen across other industries. Equally, it is not about undervaluing those investing at entry level. Data clearly shows many owners begin with smaller shares before increasing involvement over time, while others remain loyal participants in the sport for decades. Protecting and improving the experience at every level remains essential. 

The next phase of this work will see racecourses receive each owner’s CPO (Cumulative Percentage Ownership) figure alongside existing owner details. This will show both the percentage owned in the horse running that day and the owner’s total ownership interests across all horses and shares. 

The industry group recognises that racecourses vary greatly in size and operation, so the aim is to empower courses to use this information in ways that best suit their individual owner base. The next stage will focus on sharing best practice, understanding what works well and continuing to improve consistency across the sport. 

The ROA would also like to hear directly from members. If you have noticed changes to your raceday experience, positive or otherwise, or have ideas you would like to share, please contact Kate Freeman or the ROA team via [email protected] or through the ROA Racecourse Accreditation feedback scheme.