Update on Jockey fees

Following agreement between the Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA), the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has approved a 3.5% increase in jockey riding fees, which will take effect from 1 January 2026. 

From that date riding fees will be: 

• £173.54 on the Flat 
• £235.90 over Jumps 

In addition, the fee paid to a jockey whose horse is subsequently declared a non-runner will increase to: 

• £86.77 on the Flat 
• £117.95 over Jumps 

We recognise that these changes matter to owners, particularly at a time when the overall cost of ownership remains under pressure. Our focus is always on the wider financial picture for owners, rather than individual fees in isolation.  That’s why alongside these discussions on jockey riding fees, the ROA has continued to work across the industry to challenge, manage and, where possible, reduce the costs faced by owners. 

A key example of this is our work with the PJA in relation to the Professional Riders Insurance Scheme (PRIS). At the end of 2024, the ROA successfully challenged the PRIS rate, agreeing a reduction from 13% to 1%, reflecting the strength of reserves that had accrued. This change will deliver savings of approximately £3 million to owners across the period from 2025 to the end of March 2026. 

We continue to engage with racing’s stakeholder bodies to explore greater consistency, transparency and efficiency in fees and charges, with owners’ interests at the centre of those discussions.