With effect from the start of the 2010-11 Jumps Season, trainers will be allowed to run horses that have won over hurdles in France in British juvenile hurdles.

At present any three-year-old that has won over hurdles in France, prior to the start of the British season, is not eligible to run in novices’ races, of which juvenile races are a sub-type. However the removal of the novice restriction from all juvenile hurdle races will permit any three-year-old which has won over hurdles prior to the start of the British season, to race in juvenile events, including the Triumph Hurdle and the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

This development has been approved by the British Horseracing Authority Racing Department and agreed in consultation with the Jump Racing Sub Committee.

Stuart Middleton, Racing Manager for the British Horseracing Authority, said: “As things currently stand, any three year olds that win before the start of our season, the day after Sandown’s Bet365 Gold Cup, are not eligible for our Juvenile Hurdle races, because of the novice restriction. Whilst the changes will not make any difference to the vast majority of our juvenile horses, if it means our big owners will look to buy the winners of the big French three year old races instead of the placed horses, because they now have races to run them in, then it has to be a good thing for British racing in the long term.”

2nd February 2010

For more information please contact Stuart Middleton, BHA Racing Manager, on 020 7152 0055

Notes for Editors

1. The Triumph Hurdle will still be restricted to four-year-olds

2. The novice restriction will still apply to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle