Goff Appointed Independent Chair of Thoroughbred Group

Tom Goff, a founding partner of leading bloodstock agency Blandford Bloodstock, has been appointed the new independent chair of the Thoroughbred Group, succeeding Julian Richmond-Watson. Goff, who has served on the Racehorse Owners Association board since 2019, will step down from that position to ensure his independence from the Thoroughbred Group's member organizations. The appointment brings a wealth of bloodstock industry and commercial experience to the role, with Goff having also served on the Epsom Race Committee between 2004 and 2012 and as a director of the National Stud from 2012-2018. He succeeds Richmond-Watson, whose three-year term has come to an end following his appointment in October 2023. Goff said: "I am very much looking forward to taking on the role of chair of the Thoroughbred Group. Racing and breeding obviously face significant challenges, and I believe we need to focus on our shared priorities going forward. "The Thoroughbred Group needs to provide strong and united leadership. Alongside Britain's racecourses and the BHA, we must work together to find practical ways to help our great sport grow." The Thoroughbred Group represents five key organizations within British racing and breeding: the ROA, National Trainers Federation, Professional Jockeys Association, National Association of Racing Staff and Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. Richmond-Watson, who has chaired the organization since October 2023, said: "It has been a privilege to serve as chair of the Thoroughbred Group, and I would like to thank each of the members for their counsel and contributions over the last three years. "The Group has a vital role to play in the sport's growth agenda, and I wish Tom all the best in leading those efforts." Thoroughbred Group director Paul Johnson paid tribute to the outgoing chair's contribution and said Goff would build on the work undertaken during his tenure. "On behalf of the members, I would like to thank Julian for the advocacy and expertise he has brought to the role," Johnson said. "The Thoroughbred Group has been working to have a greater say in the future of our sport, and Julian's breadth of knowledge and focus on the long-term health of British racing has been central to that. "We now look forward to Tom building on the platform that Julian has provided."