Horse trainer to leave Newmarket over rising costs

Gay Kelleway is moving from Newmarket due to rising costs and lack of prize money

A trainer of 33 years says she is having to leave the historic home of horse racing due to increasing costs.

Gay Kelleway has been the owner of Queen Alexandra Stables in Exning near Newmarket for the past 20 years, but is now moving away due to the expense and a lack of prize money in the sport in the UK.

Conservative West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy has called for changes to government policy affecting the industry and will take part in a debate on the issue.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said it was a matter the government took seriously and discussions were ongoing.

"Unfortunately with the rise of costs in the Newmarket area I've had to seek going somewhere else which is a lot more affordable," Ms Kelleway explained.

"I'm relocating to North Yorkshire in Leyburn where I've got beautiful facilities and I've been employed by a trainer to join up with her.

"I can't afford the small string I've got and the lack of prize money to continue within the town."

Newmarket is considered the home of British horse racing but the industry is facing rising costs, driving trainers to more affordable stables elsewhere

Ms Kelleway explained the racing stables she would relocate to had tracks far closer and had fewer trainers, compared to Newmarket.

"The prize money is poor in this country and we have to seriously look at it because we employ thousands and thousands of people within the industry - not just with the horse racing but the breeding side of it as well," she added.

"We are losing a lot of horses to the Middle East because there are big race tracks in Saudi, Qatar and Dubai, but in England and Ireland you've got the best breeding stock in the world.

"We still get a lot of interest but the prize money is so poor we have to do something about it."

Ms Kelleway was the first female jockey to ride a winning horse at Royal Ascot in the 1980s

Mr Timothy will lead a debate on the issue in Westminster Hall in London.

He has called for reformation to the betting levy as well as to betting affordability checks that he said were "disproportionate" - and putting betters off.

The betting levy is paid by bookmakers with annual gross profits on British horseracing in excess of £500,000 at a rate of 10%.

However it does not apply to bets made in the UK on international races.

"We have to change these things if we're to make sure that horse racing is the success story in the future that it has been in recent years and continues to contribute to our local economy and to employ so many people in Suffolk," he said.

Mr Timothy asked Ms Nandy during questions in the House of Commons if she would consider these changes.

"This is an industry that is worth four billion pounds to the UK economy so it is certainly something that this government takes incredibly seriously," she said.

"Baroness Twycross is currently having discussions with representatives from across the industry and I'm sure she'd be delighted to also speak to my honourable friend to have those discussions as well."