Conor Grant to step down as Chair of Racecourse Media Group

(AsiaGameHub) –   Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has confirmed that Conor Grant will resign from his role as Chair at the close of 2026.

RMG now counts 37 British racecourses as its shareholders, and serves as the parent company of Racing TV, which airs live racing fixtures from 61 racecourses across the UK and Ireland.

Grant first joined RMG as a Non-Executive Director in April 2023, before being named Chair that October, and has been instrumental in bolstering the organization’s commercial standing.

One of the final major deals negotiated during Grant’s tenure was the agreement between RMG and ITV in late 2025, which secured four years of racing coverage across ITV1, ITV4, and STV.

Grant’s time leading RMG also fell during one of the most turbulent periods for horse racing in recent British history, sparked by last year’s Autumn Budget and months of campaigning from the racing sector to soften the blow of increased tax burdens as racing’s audience numbers declined.

To recap, the Budget announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in November was preceded by widespread industry panic amid fears of sweeping across-the-board tax hikes.

This turmoil hit horse racing particularly hard, prompting numerous racecourse staff to walk out on 10 September, leading to the cancellation of scheduled racing fixtures.

For a time, the UK Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) — the trade body representing the betting and gaming industry — found itself at odds with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), as the strike was not coordinated between the two organizations, raising the risk that relations between betting operators and racecourses would deteriorate further.

Ultimately, while the Budget increased the Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) to 40% starting in April 2026 and the General Betting Duty (GBD) to 25% — with the GBD change taking effect in March of next year — horse racing betting duty remained at 15%.

RMG was squarely at the center of this unrest during Grant’s tenure as Chair.

Speaking about his decision to step down, he commented: “After careful consideration, I believe the end of my first term is the right moment to conclude my tenure as Chair of RMG due to increasing work commitments and travel to the US.

“It has been a genuine privilege to lead this business over the last three years. CEO Nick Mills and his management team are making great progress delivering for our shareholders.

“We have sharpened our strategy, invested in our leadership team, and continued to build on strong foundations. I am particularly grateful to all our shareholders for their trust and support throughout my time as Chair. And finally, I would like to thank an outstanding Board of Directors whose support and insight have been critical to our progress.

“RMG is in a strong position with real momentum, and I am confident the business will continue to go from strength to strength in its next phase.”

Nick Mills, who was promoted to CEO in October 2024, added: “Conor’s leadership has played a pivotal role in strengthening RMG and setting the business up for long-term success. He leaves with our sincere thanks and best wishes for the future.”