Joseph William Saumarez Smith (29 September 1971 – 11 February 2025) was a British businessman, journalist and gambling expert.
[1] His paternal great-great-grandfather, William Saumarez Smith, was the Archbishop of Sydney in the late 19th and early 20th century.
In 1997, he was appointed deputy political editor of the Sunday Express, working alongside Peter Oborne, Simon Walters and Richard Addis.
He attended his first race meeting at the age of 12 at Sandown Park, where he opened his first credit account with rails bookmakers Heathorns.
He was on the 1991 Jockey Club Graduate Programme, and placed at the Racing Post, where he wrote news articles and Spotlight form commentaries.
[10] In January 2025, the British Horseracing Authority announced that Saumarez Smith, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023, tendered his resignation effective immediately.
Independent Director David Jones serves as the interim Chairperson until Lord Allen takes over on June 1.
[17] He finished as runner up in the 1994 World Series of Poker media event[18] and was introduced the next year as the "reigning champion", as the actual winner, Bill "Bulldog" Sykes had died in the meantime.