Joe Saumarez Smith, the former British Horseracing Authority (BHA) chairman, has died at the age of 53.

Saumarez Smith stepped down from the role last month after his lung cancer spread to his brain.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and continued in his role as he underwent treatment.

“It has been a great privilege to have known and worked with Joe, always providing wise counsel and tremendous support to the BHA team and to me personally, and for that we will be forever grateful,” said BHA acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said.

“His commitment to advocating Britain’s interests on the global stage was unwavering, and for that British racing owes him a huge debt of gratitude. We will miss him terribly”.

Interim BHA Chair David Jones said Saumarez Smith was “not just a personal friend to many of us but a great friend of racing”.

He added: “Joe’s enthusiasm for the sport shone through in everything he did. He had such a deep knowledge of all aspects of the industry and I and other board colleagues will really miss his insight.”

Saumarez Smith joined the BHA in December 2014 as a non-executive director and became chairman in March 2022.

The BHA looks after the governance, administration and regulation of racing and the racing industry in Britain.