Racing professionals and insiders have given a cautious welcome to the news that Nick Rust, a career bookmaker, is to be the next chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority. While the appointment, confirmed on Wednesday, was a surprise for nearly all those who offered a reaction, those close to the sport did not respond with the same horror and alarm expressed by racing fans on social media when the news broke on Tuesday night.
Micky Hammond, who has trained Rust’s horses for the past nine years, was particularly positive about the prospect of Rust running the sport. “He’s a good guy to train for. He understands the game. He’s a good listener, a good communicator.
“He loves racing; he’s keen on the grass-roots and upwards. I believe he feels we should be racing for better prize money and I’m sure he will do his level best to improve that. I know he’ll do a good job.”
Rust, 47, has spent his entire working life in the betting industry, mostly for Ladbrokes, who currently employ him as managing director of retail. He will inevitably come under scrutiny over his negotiations with bookmakers, from whom he will now be expected to extract maximum value on behalf of the sport.
“I don’t know him but I’ve heard that his stated passion for racing is genuine,” said Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys’ Association. “If it works, everyone will be praising those responsible for this appointment and saying how brave they were to make it. I can understand why people would be concerned but I can also see the attraction. I hope he is very successful.”
Struthers pointed to recently reported comments by Rust when Ladbrokes renewed its sponsorship of the St Leger, which suggested Rust favoured replacement of the statutory levy system by which betting funds racing with a straightforward commercial mechanism. “That opinion may have been personal or corporate,” Struthers said. “If it is his personal view, it would go against the views of all the stakeholders.”
“It came as a complete surprise to me,” said Mark Johnston, whose response was typical of those trainers who gave a view. “I don’t know him and I had no idea he was in the running.
“I’ll not condemn him before he starts, just because he’s been in the betting industry. At the same time we’ve got to see him take the racing line now.”
Johnston said he had “no problem” with Rust’s view that sponsorship should be regarded as part of each bookmaker’s total contribution to the sport. “But the total package has got to be a heck of a lot more than it has been.”
“It might be a positive and we can get more finance out of the betting industry,” said the Newmarket trainer David Simcock. “He knows exactly how they operate. Our relationship with the betting industry I wouldn’t call exactly good. You’d like to think this can build bridges.”
Rust prevailed over a strong list of candidates, according to those close to the process. He will succeed Paul Bittar, an Australian whose three-year contract is coming to an end.
No final date for Bittar’s leaving has been set but he is expected to depart in January, which may necessitate an interim chief executive, as Ladbrokes say Rust’s notice period will prevent him from starting before April. That position, however, is thought to be subject to further negotiation.
“Anyone who has met Nick cannot fail to be taken by his enthusiasm for racing,” said Ladbrokes’ spokesman, David Williams. “He is a racing nut, he absolutely loves the sport.
“It is his first love, as everyone at Ladbrokes is aware. This is a dream job for him. Couple that with his commercial experience over 20 years and I think you’ve got a pretty potent mix.
“We have asked for a stronger working relationship with racing and we welcome the opportunity to work with someone who understands the realities that betting faces. I’d be loath to see him as an adversary now. We want to work with him and other groups in racing and, if Nick can facilitate that, then we welcome it.”
