The chairman of the Racecourse Association, Keith Brown, has warned against the Jockey Club and British Horseracing Board joining forces.

The plans were announced by Peter Savill, the BHB chairman, on Friday

But on Monday, Brown said: "I am totally opposed to the control of racing being concentrated into one body.

"One only has to observe the huge tensions between the racecourses and the BHB to see that this would be utterly wrong."

Savill insisted his proposal was not a knee-jerk reaction to the BBC's Panorama's expose of corruption in the sport.

Brown, though, disagreed with the BHB chief.

He explained: "Peter Savill is using the Panorama programme in a cynical attempt to control more of racing at a time when the BHB has yet to puts its own house in order in respect of its orders and rules of racing being investigated by the OFT."

Of the BHB, he continued: "This is hardly a body which is a paragon of rectitude in corporate governance.

"And to add racing integrity to this cocktail of conflicts and vested interests is a recipe for suicide for the industry."

Brown said the way forward was to "build on the Jockey Club's strengths" and for the club to seek increased legal powers from the government.

Savill, though, hit out at Brown, describing his comments as an "emotional outburst".

He said: "This is just what racing does not need at this moment."