The BHA is introducing a number of refinements with the aim of strengthening the two-year-old programme in 2026, which include:

– Increased minimum prize money levels for novice and maiden races

– Refinements to the overall composition of the novice and maiden programme following a review of races run in 2025

– Small increases to the values used for the banding of two-year-olds

– Increase in the allowances for Band C and D two-year-olds in restricted races

– Races over 6 furlongs to commence three weeks earlier than in 2025

– The programme of developmental races on turf in September and October to comprise 80% Open races

– Consolidation of the programme of Nursery Handicaps with a reduced number of rating ranges applied

– Changes to handicapping eligibility rules that will allow some horses to run in a Class 4, 5 or 6 Nursery at an earlier stage of their career

These changes are in addition to previously announced increases to minimum prize money levels in developmental races, with no Open novice or maiden race to be run for less than £10,000 and no Restricted novice or maiden for less than £8,000.

Over staying trips (two-year olds at 7f+ and three-year-olds at 10f+), minimum prize money levels will be enhanced to at least £12,000 and £10,000 respectively.

The BHA would like to thank the National Trainers Federation (NTF) for its support in developing these proposals. The effect of each of the measures will be closely monitored throughout the year and reviewed at the end of the season ahead of confirming plans for 2027.

Novice and Maiden races

At the end of the turf season, the industry’s Racing Committee completed a detailed review of the novice and maiden programme.

Having considered the performance of these races in 2025, It was agreed that in 2026, the programme should comprise 60% novice races and 40% maiden races. 62% of these races will be Open and 38% Restricted. Within the Restricted races, 5% will be for Band A horses and below, 42% for Band B horses and below (2025: 40%), 38% for Band C horses and below (2025: 40%), and 15% for Band D horses.

As previously announced, following a review of the relative performance of auction horses and median auction horses in Restricted races, and in the light of prices at the yearling sales in 2025, bandings for two-year-olds of 2026 have been slightly increased to the values:

For the avoidance of doubt, the bandings already applied to two-year-olds of earlier years remain unchanged.

Following a review of their performance running against horses in higher Bands, it has also been agreed that the allowances for Band C and D horses in two-year-old races will increase to 3lbs per band (from 2lbs per band). The allowances in races for three-year-olds and above remain unchanged.

Programme in the spring

There will be some significant changes to the two-year-old programme in the spring, with races over 6 furlongs commencing during w/c 20 April.

This change, which will mean these races start three weeks earlier than in 2025, is in response to feedback from trainers seeking earlier opportunities for juveniles over more than the minimum trip.

The spring programme will also include a higher percentage of Restricted races over 5 and 6 furlongs compared with 2025, with a corresponding reduction in Open opportunities.

Programme in the autumn

During September and October, the programme for developmental races on the turf will revert to 80% Open races.

This means that there will be limited Restricted race opportunities on turf during these two months, albeit that there will continue to be a full programme of such races on the all-weather. Fewer Restricted races will be run at 5f and 6f during this period than was the case in 2025. A small number of Restricted races over 9 and 10 furlongs will be added to the programme towards the end of the year.

The 1-mile Open programme on turf through the autumn will be reviewed and strengthened where any gaps currently exist, including the fillies’ only programme.

Finally, a number of blank races will appear in the Programme Book at all-weather fixtures in September and October. This is primarily to ensure that there is the flexibility to meet demand for certain novice and maiden races should ground conditions on turf become unsuitable for many horses.

Nursery Handicaps

With the number of two-year-olds in training below previous years, many Nursery Handicaps have suffered from relatively low field sizes in 2025.

With the aim of strengthening the performance of these races in 2026 and beyond, there will be a consolidation of the nursery programme, as well as changes to the handicap eligibility rules for two-year-olds.

Programme

In 2026, the Nursery programme will comprise a smaller range of rating bands.

Nurseries will be 0-65 (Class 6), 0-75 (Class 5), 0-85 (Class 4), 0-95 (Class 3) and Open (Class 2). The opportunity for horses rated 1 or 2lbs above the maximum rating band will remain within race conditions at Class 4 and above.

This consolidation of the programme, which will lead to a small reduction in the total number of nursery handicaps staged, has been designed to deliver a much more customer-appealing programme of races in 2026.

Handicap eligibility

Changes to the rules relating to handicap eligibility will be introduced in 2026 with the aim of allowing particular horses to run in Nurseries sooner than is currently the case.

For the purposes of running in Class 4, 5 or 6 Nursery Handicaps, a British trained horse that has run twice will be eligible to run if:

(i) It has finished in the first four in both races; or
(ii) It has won its second race having finished unplaced on its debut and the handicapper is prepared to allot a handicap rating of 80 or less (2025: 77 or less).

Please note that (ii) will also apply to three-year-olds and older horses from the beginning of the 2026 turf season, which starts on Saturday 28 March. It is the intention to roll out (i) to three-year-olds and older horses from the start of 2027, subject to a review of how the changes to handicapping eligibility work during 2026.