BHA chair steps down as his cancer spreads

Joe Saumarez Smith, seen here at Epsom last year with Queen Camilla, has been part of the British Horseracing Authority board since 2014

Joe Saumarez Smith has stepped down as chair of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) after his cancer spread, he announced on Thursday.

The 53-year-old made the decision, which takes immediate effect, after his lung cancer spread to his brain.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and continued in his role as he underwent treatment.

"I have been told that my lifespan is pretty limited, I feel it would be very unfair on horseracing if I did not hand over the reins immediately," he said.

"It has been an immense privilege to have such a senior role in a sport I have loved since the age of eight."

Director David Jones will be interim chair until the formal handover to incoming chair Lord Charles Allen on 1 June.

"I did not want to stay on and make decisions that were potentially open to later challenge if questions were raised about whether the cancer had impaired my abilities," added Saumarez Smith.

The BHA looks after the governance, administration and regulation of racing and the racing industry in Britain.