Nevin Truesdale, 47, is Group Chief Executive of the Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British racing as owner of 15 racecourses, among them Epsom and Newmarket on the flat and both Cheltenham and Aintree, the home of the Grand National, over jumps.
A senior executive at the Jockey Club for more than seven years, Truesdale (pictured) joined as Group Finance Director in 2013 from Centrica plc, where he was Finance Director for British Gas’s £9 billion Residential Energy division. A graduate of the University of Cambridge, he is a qualified chartered accountant who previously worked at the AA and Ernst & Young.
Having been acting chief executive since August, he officially stepped up to the Jockey’s Club’s senior executive role from January 1. He is also a board director of Jockey Club Racecourses, the National Stud, Jockey Club Catering, the Racecourse Association and Racecourse Media Group.
1. Who do you believe is the most important figure in the history of racing around the world?
There are many to choose from. I think from the current generation of participants it has to be Aidan O’Brien. His training record bears scrutiny against anyone in history over a very long and consistent period of time, and many of the horses he has trained have gone on to define the breed both in this country and across the world. He will go down as one of the true legends of the sport.
2. Which is your favourite venue and race anywhere in the world?
I’m actually going to keep this one close to home because I think Britain has an incredible amount to offer in a number of ways. So for me I’d select the July Course in Newmarket as my favourite venue. There is no more picturesque and better place to be on a lovely summer’s day.
For the race, it has to be on the jumps for me so the blue riband of that code – the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It has given me some great memories over the years, going right back to Norton’s Coin when I was about 15 and through to Native River and Might Bite in 2018.
3. What is your fondest memory in racing?
Without doubt – and it’s a relatively recent one – Coneygree winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2015 (see video below). Not only did he make all, he was also the first novice win it over 40 years and it was a staying performance I don’t think any of us will ever forget. I am also privileged to know well two of the syndicate of owners and I can see how it has changed their lives. I now own part of a relative of Coneygree in a separate syndicate with them, but no such miracles so far!
4. What do you see as the biggest challenge racing faces today?
Without doubt, the need to stay relevant to a younger generation and to find ways of continuing to engage that younger generation from an early age, adapting to their values but without losing what is so special about the heritage of the sport. The more genuine fans of the sport we can inspire the more everything else improves, including prize money.
5. If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
Probably the funding model we have here in the UK. We do not have the same return from our betting handle that the industry enjoys in other jurisdictions, and addressing this with government and all other stakeholders is so important in ensuring that our sport in this country remains competitive, indeed world-leading on the international stage.
That has ramifications for the prosperity of the rural and wider economy, those whose jobs depend on the industry and its ancillary businesses and for foreign inward investment to the UK. Together, I believe it is something we can fix.