BACK in 2001, the BHB (British Horseracing Board) launched a campaign called ‘Get on the right track’ aimed at trainers. Headlined, ‘BHB challenges trainers to get on the right track’, the campaign was part of an information series for trainers. This particular aspect focused on research carried out by the BHB which found that owners consider a friendly yard, a caring approach, and good communications key factors in their choice of trainer. It was prompted by concerns over the worryingly high owner ‘churn rate’ – the numbers giving up horse ownership each year.

The BHB reckoned that it was a combination of the loss in the leisure pound at that time and the owner experience failing to meet expectations that helped create the high churn level.