English: As a Member for North Wales, of course, my first trip racing, as a new convert to the sport, was to where else but Bangor-on-Dee racecourse within my region, to which I was actually invited by the British Horseracing Authority, along with some other Members of the Senedd, who I'm glad to see are here this evening. The day started, of course, with a trip to Oliver Greenall racing to visit a racehorse training yard, which is something we're not usually exposed to when we see coverage of training. There are over 500 such vital rural businesses across Britain, 20 here in Wales, and, I have to say, you'd struggle to find more hard-working and dedicated people than stable staff. They're up at the crack of dawn, and they work 365 days a year to make sure, of course, that their horses receive the love and the care that they need in order to be at their best on the track. We then, of course, after that visit, went to the racecourse - an experience I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who has yet to go racing, because if you're looking for a day out with a group of friends, or even a family looking for a family fun race day, there is something for everyone - genuinely, something for everyone. Now, there were over 160,000 visits to Bangor-on-Dee, Chepstow and Ffos Las in the last non-COVID affected year of 2019. That's a significant figure that struck me as something I hadn't realised, I have to say, but, of course, I know now from chairing the cross party-group on horse-racing here in the Senedd that the industry is particularly keen to work with the Welsh Government on expanding that number, given, of course, the huge potential economic benefits this could bring to all parties involved. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Welsh racing awards, an annual event that recognises the significant achievements by members of the Welsh horse-racing community, both human and equine, and I was thrilled to find out just how successful Welsh-trained or owned horses have been over the past 12 months. We've had major wins at the Cheltenham Festival by the Evan Williams trained Coole Cody, and at Royal Ascot from the David Evans trained Rohaan. Both are positively representing Wales at some of the UK's biggest sporting events, which are extremely competitive, of course, and involve international competition. Furthermore, David Probert and Sean Bowen are also in the top five jockeys in the country on the flat and over jumps respectively. But, of course, maintaining this success and growing the sector to realise even greater achievements and even more significant economic impacts would also require support from the Government. Now, I've been told that horse-racing is the third most followed sport in Wales in terms of attendances, behind football and rugby, but I'm not sure it receives anything like the same recognition in terms of its significance, and certainly in terms of its wider economic contribution. Now, in racing, prize money acts as the lifeblood of the industry. It helps not only to sustain owners' critical investment in the industry, on which, I have to say, many don't receive a significant financial return, but it also supports training, businesses and the livelihoods of hundreds of the sport's participants here in Wales. That also then, of course, drives that broader economic activity through the wider rural economy here in Wales. Owing to a range of factors, including the level of return from betting activity through statutory and commercial channels to the racing industry, racing across Britain faces increasing challenges in achieving competitive levels of prize money. On a measure of prize money per race, British racing now sits behind other major competitor jurisdictions, including Ireland, France, Australia, the United States, Hong Kong and Japan. Now, these competitor jurisdictions are continuing to drive prize money increases, and offering, of course, significant incentives for British owners to relocate their investment. Previous economic modelling has suggested that every 20 racehorses in training deliver around £1 million in direct and indirect economic benefits, so there are real negative economic consequences if there is a contraction in this particular sector. Now, the UK Government is, by statute, required to review the rate of the horse-race betting levy, currently set at 10 per cent of betting operators' gross profit on British racing. They need to review it by no later than 2024. And this provides a critical opportunity, I believe, for the imbalance in prize money to be rectified. The levy also, of course, provides critical investment in integrity, in training and education and, importantly, in equine welfare. And I'd just like to say a few words about equine welfare, because, through the levy, British racing has spent almost £40 million on funding veterinary science or veterinary education projects aimed at improving the understanding of equine physiology and disease prevention. In March 2019, British racing established a new horse welfare board, independently chaired by Barry Johnson, a former president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and with political representation on it as well from Tracey Crouch MP. The horse welfare board has published a comprehensive, five-year strategic plan called 'A life well lived', which was published in 2020, and its publication represents a landmark moment for British racing, providing, for the first time, a single, overarching welfare strategy, building on the many projects already under way across the industry to raise welfare standards and to improve safety levels for horses. Work is currently under way on 17 of the projects recommended by the horse welfare board, and £3 million-worth of funding has been announced today, as it happens, to extend the horse welfare board's work through to 2025. But, coming back to the horse-race betting levy, I know the Welsh racing industry would very much appreciate any representations that the Deputy Minister can make to her counterpart at Westminster and at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to expedite the review to support the industry in Wales. And I'd be very happy to follow up with a briefing on this subject, if the Minister should wish. And I can see her nodding, so I'm looking forward to her contribution even more now later on. We have a real success story here in Wales when it comes to horse-racing, which isn't always recognised, maybe, as it should be, and I firmly believe there are clear benefits and opportunities for the Welsh Government from engaging constructively with racing here in Wales. And to that end, I was delighted to see that the Deputy Minister visited Chepstow in the summer, and I would be even more delighted if she accepted my invitation for her to join me for a day's racing in Bangor-on-Dee so that she can see what racing in north Wales has to offer as well. [ Interruption.] Yes. Other Members can come along as well, yes, of course, of course. But I would urge the Minister and her Government to continue to proactively engage with and to support the Welsh racing industry, as there will be clear benefits in so many ways. So, I thank you once again, Llywydd, for the opportunity to bring this debate forward. I very much look forward to other Members' contributions and to the Minister's response on this vital and successful industry for Wales. Diolch.
Welsh: Fel Aelod dros Ogledd Cymru, wrth gwrs, fy nhaith rasio gyntaf, fel cefnogwr newydd i'r gamp, oedd i ble arall ond cae rasio ceffylau Bangor Is-coed yn fy rhanbarth, ac fe'm gwahoddwyd mewn gwirionedd gan Awdurdod Rasio Ceffylau Prydain, ynghyd â rhai o Aelodau eraill y Senedd, ac rwy'n falch o'u gweld yma heno. Dechreuodd y diwrnod, wrth gwrs, gyda thaith i glwb rasio Oliver Greenall i ymweld â iard hyfforddi ceffylau rasio, sy'n rhywbeth nad ydym fel arfer yn dod i gysylltiad ag ef pan fyddwn yn gweld sylw'n cael ei roi i hyfforddiant. Mae dros 500 o fusnesau gwledig allweddol o'r fath ledled Prydain, ac 20 yma yng Nghymru, ac mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud, byddech chi'n ei chael hi'n anodd dod o hyd i bobl fwy gweithgar ac ymroddedig na staff stablau. Maent yn codi ar doriad y wawr ac yn gweithio 365 diwrnod y flwyddyn i wneud yn siŵr fod eu ceffylau'n cael y cariad a'r gofal sydd ei angen arnynt i fod ar eu gorau ar y trac. Ar ôl yr ymweliad hwnnw, fe aethom i'r cae rasio - profiad y byddwn i'n ei argymell yn fawr i unrhyw un sydd eto i fynd i rasys, oherwydd os ydych chi'n edrych am ddiwrnod allan gyda grŵp o ffrindiau, neu deulu sy'n chwilio am ddiwrnod rasio sy'n hwyl i'r teulu, mae rhywbeth i bawb - o ddifrif, rhywbeth i bawb. Nawr, cafwyd dros 160,000 o ymweliadau â Bangor Is-Coed, Cas-gwent a Ffos Las yn y flwyddyn ddiwethaf nad effeithiwyd arni gan COVID, sef 2019. Mae hwnnw'n ffigur sylweddol a'm trawodd fel rhywbeth nad oeddwn wedi'i sylweddoli, rhaid imi ddweud, ond wrth gwrs, rwy'n gwybod nawr o gadeirio'r grŵp trawsbleidiol ar rasio ceffylau yma yn y Senedd fod y diwydiant yn arbennig o awyddus i weithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru ar ehangu'r nifer, o ystyried y manteision economaidd enfawr posibl y gallai hyn eu cynnig i bawb sydd ynghlwm wrtho. Yn ddiweddar, cefais gyfle i fynychu gwobrau rasio Cymru, digwyddiad blynyddol sy'n cydnabod y llwyddiannau sylweddol gan aelodau o gymuned rasio ceffylau Cymru, yn bobl a cheffylau, ac roeddwn wrth fy modd yn canfod pa mor llwyddiannus y bu ceffylau a hyfforddwyd yng Nghymru neu sydd â pherchnogion yng Nghymru dros y 12 mis diwethaf. Cawsom fuddugoliaethau mawr Coole Cody a hyfforddwyd gan Evan Williams yng Ngŵyl Cheltenham, a Rohaan a hyfforddwyd gan David Evans yn Royal Ascot. Mae'r ddau'n cynrychioli Cymru mewn modd cadarnhaol yn rhai o ddigwyddiadau chwaraeon mwyaf y DU, sy'n hynod gystadleuol ac yn cynnwys cystadleuaeth ryngwladol. Ar ben hynny, mae David Probert a Sean Bowen hefyd ymhith y pum joci gorau yn y wlad ar y gwastad a thros y clwydi. Ond wrth gwrs, byddai cynnal y llwyddiant hwn a thyfu'r sector i wireddu mwy fyth o gyflawniadau ac effeithiau economaidd mwy sylweddol yn galw am gefnogaeth gan y Llywodraeth hefyd. Nawr, rwy'n deall mai rasio ceffylau yw'r gamp sy'n denu fwyaf o gefnogwyr ar ôl pêl-droed a rygbi yng Nghymru o ran y nifer sy'n mynychu rasys, ond nid wyf yn siŵr ei bod yn cael unrhyw beth tebyg i'r un gydnabyddiaeth o ran ei harwyddocâd, ac yn sicr o ran ei chyfraniad economaidd ehangach. Nawr, mewn rasio, mae gwobrau ariannol yn gweithredu fel anadl einioes i'r diwydiant. Mae'n helpu nid yn unig i gynnal buddsoddiad hanfodol perchnogion yn y diwydiant, ac mae'n rhaid imi ddweud fod llawer ohonynt nad ydynt yn cael elw ariannol sylweddol, ond mae hefyd yn cefnogi hyfforddiant, busnesau a bywoliaeth cannoedd o gyfranogwyr y gamp yma yng Nghymru. Mae hynny hefyd wedyn yn gyrru gweithgarwch economaidd ehangach drwy'r economi wledig ehangach yma yng Nghymru. Oherwydd amrywiaeth o ffactorau, gan gynnwys lefel yr elw o weithgaredd betio drwy sianeli statudol a masnachol i'r diwydiant rasio, mae rasio ar draws Prydain yn wynebu heriau cynyddol gyda sicrhau lefelau cystadleuol o wobrau ariannol. Wrth fesur gwobrau ariannol fesul ras, mae rasio ym Mhrydain bellach yn llusgo ar ôl awdurdodaethau cystadleuol mawr eraill, gan gynnwys Iwerddon, Ffrainc, Awstralia, yr Unol Daleithiau, Hong Kong a Japan. Nawr, mae'r awdurdodaethau cystadleuol hyn yn parhau i gynyddu gwobrau ariannol, ac yn cynnig cymhellion sylweddol i berchnogion Prydeinig adleoli eu buddsoddiad. Mae modelu economaidd blaenorol wedi awgrymu bod pob 20 ceffyl rasio mewn hyfforddiant yn darparu tua £1 filiwn mewn buddion economaidd uniongyrchol ac anuniongyrchol, felly ceir canlyniadau economaidd negyddol go iawn os oes crebachu yn y sector penodol hwn. Nawr, mae'n ofynnol i Lywodraeth y DU, drwy statud, adolygu cyfradd yr ardoll betio ar rasys ceffylau, sydd ar hyn o bryd wedi'i gosod ar 10 y cant o elw gros gweithredwyr betio ar rasys Prydeinig. Mae angen iddynt ei adolygu erbyn 2024 fan bellaf. Ac mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle allweddol i gywiro'r anghydbwysedd yn y gwobrau ariannol. Mae'r ardoll hefyd, wrth gwrs, yn darparu buddsoddiad hanfodol mewn uniondeb, mewn hyfforddiant ac addysg ac yn bwysig, yn lles ceffylau. Ac fe hoffwn ddweud ychydig eiriau am les ceffylau, oherwydd, drwy'r ardoll, mae rasio Prydeinig wedi gwario bron i £40 miliwn ar ariannu prosiectau milfeddygol neu addysg filfeddygol gyda'r nod o wella dealltwriaeth o ffisioleg ceffylau ac atal clefydau. Ym mis Mawrth 2019, sefydlodd rasio Prydeinig fwrdd lles ceffylau newydd, a gadeiriwyd yn annibynnol gan Barry Johnson, cyn-lywydd Coleg Brenhinol y Milfeddygon, a chyda chynrychiolaeth wleidyddol arno hefyd gan Tracey Crouch AS. Mae'r bwrdd lles ceffylau wedi cyhoeddi cynllun strategol cynhwysfawr, pum mlynedd o'r enw 'A life well lived', a gyhoeddwyd yn 2020, ac mae ei gyhoeddiad yn foment nodedig i rasio Prydeinig, gan ei fod, am y tro cyntaf, yn darparu un strategaeth les drosfwaol sy'n adeiladu ar y prosiectau niferus sydd eisoes ar y gweill ar draws y diwydiant i godi safonau lles ac i wella lefelau diogelwch ceffylau. Ar hyn o bryd mae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo ar 17 o'r prosiectau sy'n cael eu hargymell gan y bwrdd lles ceffylau, ac mae gwerth £3 miliwn o gyllid wedi'i gyhoeddi heddiw, fel mae'n digwydd, i ymestyn gwaith y bwrdd lles ceffylau hyd at 2025. Ond i ddychwelyd at yr ardoll betio ar rasys ceffylau, rwy'n gwybod y byddai'r diwydiant rasio yng Nghymru yn werthfawrogol iawn o unrhyw sylwadau y gall y Dirprwy Weinidog eu gwneud i'w swyddog cyfatebol yn San Steffan ac yn yr Adran dros Dechnoleg Ddigidol, Diwylliant, y Cyfryngau a Chwaraeon er mwyn cyflymu'r adolygiad i gefnogi'r diwydiant yng Nghymru. A byddwn yn hapus iawn i fynd ar drywydd sesiwn friffio ar y pwnc pe bai'r Gweinidog yn dymuno. A gallaf ei gweld yn ysgwyd ei phen, felly rwy'n edrych ymlaen at ei chyfraniad hyd yn oed yn fwy nawr yn nes ymlaen. Mae gennym stori lwyddiant go iawn yma yng Nghymru yn y byd rasio ceffylau, nad yw bob amser yn cael ei chydnabod fel y dylai, efallai, ac rwy'n credu'n gryf fod manteision a chyfleoedd clir i Lywodraeth Cymru o ymgysylltu'n adeiladol â rasio yma yng Nghymru. Ac i'r perwyl hwnnw, roeddwn wrth fy modd yn gweld bod y Dirprwy Weinidog wedi ymweld â Chas-gwent yn yr haf, a byddwn i hyd yn oed yn fwy balch pe bai'n derbyn fy ngwahoddiad iddi ymuno â mi am ddiwrnod o rasio ym Mangor Is-coed er mwyn iddi gael gweld beth sydd gan rasio yng ngogledd Cymru i'w gynnig hefyd. [ Torri ar draws.] Ie. Gall Aelodau eraill ddod draw hefyd wrth gwrs. Ond rwyf am annog y Gweinidog a'i Llywodraeth i barhau i ymgysylltu'n rhagweithiol â'r diwydiant rasio yng Nghymru ac i'w gefnogi, gan y bydd manteision amlwg mewn cymaint o ffyrdd. Felly, diolch i chi unwaith eto, Lywydd, am y cyfle i gyflwyno'r ddadl hon. Edrychaf ymlaen yn fawr at gyfraniadau Aelodau eraill ac at ymateb y Gweinidog ar y diwydiant hanfodol a llwyddiannus hwn i Gymru. Diolch.