Exclusive: Jockey Club faces claims of ‘racism, sexism and bullying’

Employees at the Jockey Club have complained about misogyny, racism and bullying, The Telegraph can disclose.

Staff working for the organisation – which has close links to the Queen and government ministers – have accused colleagues of making racist comments and behaving inappropriately.

The Jockey Club, which runs 15 racecourses including Aintree, where the Grand National will take place on April 10, is understood to have faced one allegation of sexual harassment against a senior figure connected to the company, although this was dismissed following an internal investigation.

Baroness Harding, the Government’s Test and Trace adviser, sits on its board and it is likely she will now face questions about whether she and other board members were aware of the complaints.

Documents seen by The Telegraph also reveal that an employee complained about racially offensive language used by a manager, including the word “P---”. It is understood that the employee who allegedly made the comments denied making them when he was spoken to by executives.

Last night, the Jockey Club said that out of its 600 employees, “historically an average of two to three complaints a year are lodged with the HR department through the official grievance procedures” and that concerns were taken “seriously”.

The disclosure is nevertheless likely to raise questions about the culture of horse racing in Britain.

Earlier this year, it emerged that one of the country’s most successful female jockeys had complained about being bullied after an incident in the weighing room following a race.

The British Horseracing Authority, which regulates the industry, opened an investigation last year after receiving the complaint, which was made about another rider.

When details of the alleged incident emerged, questions were raised about whether the sport needed to reform, amid accusations of sexism.

The Jockey Club, which runs most of the country’s high-profile racecourses, recorded revenues of more than £200 million before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

A presentation, which was circulated to the board in December 2019, highlights steps the Jockey Club has taken to support diversity.

‘Sexist, racist and homophobic grievances’

However, a section called “where we were”, reveals how the company had faced “a number of grievances and investigations into allegations of sexist, racist, homophobic and/or bullying behaviour” in 2017-18.

It also highlights a “specific grievance that named senior managers, committee members and external partners, which would have been very bad PR if it had gone to tribunal”.

It is understood this refers to the sexual harassment and bullying claim made by a woman working for the Jockey Club in 2018.

It continued that “on investigation there was no evidence to support the majority of the specific allegations” but there was “a clear need for education and training”.

The document also said there had been “evidence that in some teams people were using language and making jokes that were inappropriate”, adding that there had been “strong anecdotal evidence to suggest LGBTQ+ employees were unwilling to ‘come out’ for fear of impact on their career”. 

Reporters interviewed more than two dozen employees and found that many said they had made allegations of inappropriate behaviour and others had witnessed alleged incidents.

‘Derogatory remarks about Asian wedding guests’

The Telegraph is also aware of several employees who made allegations of bullying by senior managers at the Jockey Club.

A male former employee had also raised a formal grievance over alleged bullying and racism by a manager.

The member of staff – whom The Telegraph is not naming for legal reasons – said that the manager allegedly used the word “P---” in front of employees and made derogatory remarks about guests at Asian weddings.

Former staff have told The Telegraph that they witnessed these comments being made, and that the man also made comments that staff should be wary of catching “Ebola” from black people.

The manager who allegedly made the racist remarks is said to have shouted and sworn at staff, as well as making offensive remarks about their appearance, including calling them spotty or fat.

After receiving the complaint, the Jockey Club told the employee that a formal investigation “was not the best approach” at the time, because interviewing the witnesses “could be very disruptive to team morale”.

The man who made the complaint told The Telegraph that he felt “let down” by the Jockey Club.

Manager called colleagues ‘sexy’

Accusations about “inappropriate” comments have also been made, when a woman raised concerns in her “exit” interview that a male manager behaved inappropriately and called women who worked for him “sexy”.

The Telegraph has spoken to two women who confirmed the allegations. A former employee familiar with the complaint said that the woman felt the comments made by the manager were “disgusting”.

“Lots of the women working for him were considerably younger than him and it made people very uncomfortable”, they said.

The Telegraph has also established that two women, based in the North West, submitted grievances accusing their managers of bullying.

A spokesman for the Jockey Club said that they “take the welfare and well-being of our staff extremely seriously” and that “no form of intolerance or inappropriate behaviour is acceptable at the Jockey Club.

“Today, a huge amount of work goes into creating a positive environment for our people to thrive in, regardless of their background, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation, and we are proud of our supportive culture.

“Complaints were investigated and then acted on in accordance with our published grievance policy, with outcomes ranging from complaints not being upheld through to disciplinary action being taken. We keep our policies under review. Should anyone’s behaviour fall short of the high standards we set for ourselves, we will take appropriate steps”.

The Jockey Club said that the company was “full of talented and hardworking women and men who make a difference to the British racing industry” and that the “most recent employee survey confirms that the vast majority of employees feel valued and are proud of working for the organisation”.

The spokesman said that they “regularly renew our Investors in People accreditation, which is a robust independent assessment process involving employee feedback”.

Reporting team: Claire Newell, Katherine Rushton,  Sophie Barnes, Callum Adams, Hayley Dixon,  Daniel Foggo and Christopher Hope

If you have  a story to tell, contact the Investigations Team – investigations@telegraph.co.uk