Editing Jockey Club

{{Short description|British horse racing organisation}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = The Jockey Club
| logo             = 
| image            = Hyperion statue, Newmarket, UK.jpg
| image_caption    = The Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, UK
| type             = [[Private company|Private]] (incorporated by [[Royal Charter]])
| traded_as        = 
| genre            = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate             = 
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| foundation       = 1750
| founder          = 
| defunct          = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city    = 
| location_country = [[High Holborn]]<br/>London, {{postcode|WC|1}}
| locations        = 
| area_served      = United Kingdom
| key_people       = [[Dido Harding]] (Senior Steward), [[Jim Mullen (businessman)|Jim Mullen]] (CEO)(from June 2025)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barber |first1=Bill |title=Former Ladbrokes Coral CEO Jim Mullen to take over as Jockey Club group chief executive in June |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/former-ladbrokes-coral-ceo-jim-mullen-appointed-jockey-club-group-chief-executive-aHhjJ5F5aNdN/ |publisher=Racing Post |access-date=31 March 2025 |date=31 March 2025}}</ref>
| industry         = [[Horse racing]], [[leisure]]
| products         = 
| services         = 
| revenue          = £216.5 million (2019)
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| aum              = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| owner            = 
| num_employees    = circa 600 FTE
| parent           = 
| divisions        = Jockey Club Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates, The National Stud, Racing Welfare, Jockey Club Catering, Jockey Club Live, Jockey Club Services
| subsid           = 
| homepage         = {{URL|thejockeyclub.co.uk}}
| footnotes        = 
}}

[[File:The Jockey Club, Newmarket, UK.jpg|thumb|300px|A view of the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, UK.]]
[[File:The Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, UK.jpg|thumb|300px|The Rowley Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, UK]]
[[File:The Rowley Mile entrance, Newmarket, UK.jpg|thumb|300px|The Rowley Mile entrance, Newmarket, UK]]

The '''Jockey Club''' is the largest commercial [[horse racing]] organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including [[Aintree Racecourse|Aintree]], [[Cheltenham Racecourse|Cheltenham]], [[Epsom Downs Racecourse|Epsom Downs]] and both the Rowley Mile and July Course in [[Newmarket Racecourse|Newmarket]], amongst other horse racing assets such as the [[National Stud]], and the property and land management company, Jockey Club Estates. The registered charity Racing Welfare is also a company limited by guarantee with the Jockey Club being the sole member. As it is governed by [[Royal Charter]], all profits it makes are reinvested back into the sport.

Formerly the regulator for the sport ("Newmarket Rules"), the Jockey Club's responsibilities were transferred to the Horseracing Regulatory Authority (now the [[British Horseracing Authority]]) in 2006.

== History ==
The Jockey Club has long been thought to have been founded in 1750 – a year recognised by the club itself in its own records. Some claim it was created earlier, in the 1720s,<ref>Richard Nash, "Sporting with Kings", in Rebecca Cassidy (ed.), ''The Cambridge Companion to Horseracing'' (Cambridge University Press, 2013; {{ISBN|1107013852}}), p. 21.</ref><!--Please do not revert this without explanation or references; see talk page--> while others suggest it may have existed in the first decade of the century.<ref>Donald W. Nichol, "Lost Trousers", ''The Times Literary Supplement'', 26 July 2013, pp. 14-15, citing the frontispiece of a 1709 pamphlet called ''The History of the London Clubs''.</ref> A notice of 1729 records that "The Jockey Club, consisting of several Noblemen and Gentlemen, are to meet one Day next Week at Hackwood, the Duke of Bolton's Seat in Hampshire, to consider of the Methods for the better keeping of their respective Strings of Horses at New Market."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/ViewArticle?id=BL%2F0000191%2F17290802%2F005%2F0003&browse=true|title= The Jockey Club|work=[[Ipswich Journal]] |date=2 Aug 1729 |access-date=2 Oct 2022}}</ref> 

It was founded as one of the most exclusive [[upper class|high society]] [[social club]]s in the United Kingdom, sharing some of the functions of a [[gentleman's club]] such as high-level socialising. It was called 'The Jockey Club' in reference to the late medieval word for 'horsemen', pronounced 'yachey', and spelt 'Eachaidhe' in [[Irish language|Gaelic]].<ref>Dineen's Irish-English Dictionary, 1975, page 383</ref> The club's first meetings were held at the "Star and Garter" tavern in [[Pall Mall, London]], before later moving to [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]];<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Heritage|url=http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/about/our-heritage|website=The Jockey Club|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref> a town known in the United Kingdom as "The Home of Racing". It was historically the dominant organisation in [[Horseracing in the United Kingdom|British horseracing]], and it remained responsible for its day-to-day regulation until April 2006.

It passed its first resolution in 1758, that all riders must [[weigh in]] after a race.<ref name=Barrett1995>{{cite book |title=The Daily Telegraph Chronicle of Horse Racing |editor-last=Barrett |editor-first=Norman |location=Enfield, Middlesex |publisher=Guinness Publishing |page=9 |year=1995}}</ref>

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, The Jockey Club had a clubhouse in [[Pall Mall, London|Pall Mall]], where many other gentlemen's clubs were based. The fact that it acquired a governing role in the sport reflected the dominant role of the aristocracy in British horse racing up to the 20th century, and the removal of this role was in part a conscious effect to move the sport away from its patrician image. This can be compared with the way that cricket's [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] became the governing body of cricket by default, but later surrendered most of its powers to more representative bodies.

The Jockey Club refused to grant training licences to women trainers until [[Florence Nagle]], supported by the [[Fawcett Society]] sought legal redress. Initially she was unsuccessful until her fight finally reached the [[Court of Appeal of England and Wales|Court of Appeal]] in 1966.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=B|first=Lizzie|date=2021-10-12|title=Norah Wilmot (1889-1980)|url=https://womenwhomeantbusiness.com/2021/10/12/norah-wilmot-1889-1980/|access-date=2021-10-31|website=Women Who Meant Business|language=en}}</ref> The Jockey Club used its considerable influence within the [[The Establishment|Establishment]] to twice block her appeal<ref name="curling">{{cite journal |last=Curling |first=Bill |title=Florence Nagle: the 'Mrs Pankhurst' of Racing |journal=Stud and Stable |volume=10 |issue=4 |date=April 1971 |page=29}}</ref> but her third appeal was successful, with the verdict of the three presiding law lords, [[Alfred Denning, Baron Denning|Lord Denning]], [[Harold Danckwerts|Lord Justice Dankwerts]] and [[Cyril Salmon, Baron Salmon|Lord Salmon]], being that "If she is to carry on her trade without stooping to subterfuge she has to have a training licence."<ref name="curling"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Nagle v Feilden|url=https://vlex.co.uk/vid/nagle-v-feilden-793331701|access-date=2021-10-31|website=vLex|language=en}}</ref> Of the Jockey Club itself, the Law Lords pronounced that "The rights of a person to work should not be prevented by the dictatorial powers of a body which holds a monopoly."<ref name="curling"/> Faced with the court's ruling,<ref name="Kokomo">
{{cite news |title=70-Year-Old Woman Becomes Horse Trainer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1139188/the_kokomo_tribune/ |newspaper=The Kokomo Tribune |date=30 July 1966 |page=9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=11 October 2014}} {{Open access}}
</ref> the Jockey Club was forced to capitulate, and on 3 August 1966, Nagle and [[Norah Wilmot]] became the first women in Britain to receive licences to train racehorses.<ref name="ODNB">
{{cite ODNB |last=Wray |first=Vamplew |title=Nagle , Florence (1894–1988) |edition=online |year=2004 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/62668 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/62668 |access-date=10 October 2014}} 
</ref> On the same day, one of Wilmot's horses won at [[Brighton Racecourse]], making her the first official woman trainer of a winning horse.<ref name=":0" />

The Jockey Club is the [[breed registry]] for [[Glossary of North American horse racing|North American]] [[thoroughbreds]]. In December 2024, twelve [[horse trainer]]s, mostly those involved in [[Doping in sport|doping]] horses, who failed in [[drug test]]s, were [[Suspension (punishment)|suspended]] from [[Horse breeding|registering foals]] for 1-5 years according to the [[American Stud Book]]'s Rule 19, ''Principal Rules and Requirements''.<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=The Jockey Club Denies Privileges to 12 Individuals|url= https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/281805/the-jockey-club-denies-privileges-to-12-individuals|accessdate=December 27, 2024 |work= [[The Blood-Horse]]|date=December 26, 2024}}</ref>

==The new system==
Before 2006, it was one of the three bodies which provided management for horse racing in the United Kingdom in conjunction with the [[British Horseracing Board]] (itself an offshoot of The Jockey Club) and the [[Horserace Betting Levy Board]].

These regulatory responsibilities were transferred to a new Horseracing Regulatory Authority (HRA) from 3 April 2006.<ref>{{cite news  | first=Greg  | last=Wood  | url=http://sport.guardian.co.uk/horseracing/story/0,,1745459,00.html  | title=End of an era as Jockey Club falls on own sword  | newspaper=[[The Guardian]]  | date=3 April 2006  | access-date=2006-04-17  | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060831225539/http://sport.guardian.co.uk/horseracing/story/0,,1745459,00.html  | archive-date=31 August 2006  | url-status=dead  }}</ref> This major re-organisation did not arise from a fundamental failure of the existing arrangements, but an understanding that the old system might not meet modern conditions. The HRA itself ceased to exist on 31 July 2007 as its regulatory duties were merged with the governing responsibility of the British Horseracing Board to create the new [[British Horseracing Authority]].

In February 2023, the organisation dropped the formal dress code at all its 15 racecourses and 342 fixtures, except for the Queen Elizabeth II Stand at Epsom on Derby Day. The change was implemented as a way to make horse racing events more "accessible and inclusive".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/horse-racing/64498424|title=Dress code dropped at Jockey Club racecourses including Aintree and Cheltenham|work=BBC Sport|date=2 February 2023|accessdate=2 February 2023}}</ref>

==Governance==
The Jockey Club is run by executives who report to the Board of Stewards (directors). The chairman of the board is called the Senior Steward. As of April 2024, there were nine Stewards, including the Senior Steward and Deputy Senior Steward.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/about-us/our-structure/our-board/ |title=Our Board Of Stewards |publisher=The Jockey Club |accessdate=28 April 2024}}</ref> Individuals may be elected as Members, who "are in effect 'trustees'. However, they may not profit from their role, as all profits are invested into British racing." As of December 2017, there were 163 Members, including 24 Honorary Members.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/about/our-members |title=Our Members|publisher=The Jockey Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204214538/http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/about/our-members |archive-date=4 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Property==
*[http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/jockey-club-racecourses Jockey Club Racecourses]: operates 15 racecourses in Great Britain, which host a quarter of the racing calendar. This includes four of the five '[[British Classic Races|Classics]]' of Flat racing: [[The Oaks Stakes|The Oaks]] and [[The Derby Stakes|The Derby]] at Epsom Downs and the [[2,000 Guineas Stakes|2,000 Guineas]] and the [[1,000 Guineas Stakes|1,000 Guineas]] at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course, and major National Hunt meetings include the [[Cheltenham Festival]] and the [[Grand National]] at Aintree
*[http://www.jockeyclubestates.co.uk/ Jockey Club Estates]: property and land management company, which operates 3,000 acres of training facilities in [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]] and [[Lambourn]]
*[http://www.nationalstud.co.uk/ The National Stud]: a breeding and bloodstock training operation transferred to the Jockey Club in 2008
*[http://www.racingwelfare.co.uk/ Racing Welfare]: a racing charity that aims to help to those working in the Thoroughbred industry<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221108195025/http://www.tjcannualreview.co.uk/assets/Files/TJC_AR_Online_2013.pdf] {{dead link|date=February 2025}}</ref>
*[[Racing Calendar]], publication

==Racecourse ownership==
Jockey Club Racecourses was formerly called Racecourse Holdings Trust. The fifteen racecourses owned by Jockey Club Racecourses are:

Large courses:
*[[Aintree Racecourse|Aintree]] – Merseyside
*[[Cheltenham Racecourse|Cheltenham]] – Gloucestershire
*[[Epsom Downs Racecourse|Epsom]] – Surrey
*[[Haydock Park Racecourse|Haydock Park]] – Merseyside
*[[Kempton Park Racecourse|Kempton Park]] – Surrey
*[[Newmarket Racecourse|Newmarket]] July Course – Cambridgeshire
*[[Newmarket Racecourse|Newmarket]] Rowley Mile – Suffolk
*[[Sandown Park Racecourse|Sandown Park]] – Surrey

Smaller courses:
*[[Carlisle Racecourse|Carlisle]] – Cumbria
*[[Exeter Racecourse|Exeter]] – Devon
*[[Huntingdon Racecourse|Huntingdon]] – Cambridgeshire
*[[Market Rasen Racecourse|Market Rasen]] – Lincolnshire
*[[Nottingham Racecourse|Nottingham]] – Nottinghamshire
*[[Warwick Racecourse|Warwick]] – Warwick
*[[Wincanton Racecourse|Wincanton]] – Somerset

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk Official site]

{{Horse racing in Great Britain}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Jockey Club| ]]
[[Category:1750 establishments in Great Britain]]
[[Category:Horse racing organisations in Great Britain]]
[[Category:Horse racing venue owners]]
[[Category:Newmarket, Suffolk]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1750]]