海角大神鈥檚 (BHA) Jump Pattern Committee has today confirmed a package of changes to the 2023/24 Pattern and Listed Jump programme to help strengthen the upper tier of British Jump racing.
These changes have been agreed as part of an in-depth review, in line with the aims and recommendations of the聽Quality Jump Racing Review Group.
They will see the Jump Pattern and Listed programme reshaped and refined for the 2023/24 season, with races repositioned within the racing calendar and, in some cases, removed entirely where other similar opportunities exist.
This aims to ensure our Graded and Pattern contests are spaced most appropriately throughout the calendar and can incentivise increased competition between our best horses at more regular points throughout the season.
Prominent adjustments in the hurdle division include the relocation of the Grade 1 Tolworth from Sandown Park to Aintree鈥檚 new Boxing Day fixture, with the Grade 2 International at Cheltenham to take place on Festival Trials Day at the end of January, rather than early December.
Notable alterations to the chase programme include the Grade 2 Desert Orchid at Kempton Park on 27 December becoming a Grade 2 Limited Handicap, with the aim of making the race more competitive and creating more optimum spacing within the weight-for-age two-mile chase programme.
The Jump Pattern and Listed race programme can be聽, with changes coming into effect for the 2023/24 season highlighted.
The work to reshape the programme ahead of next season, through both tactical interventions and ensuring a more suitable spread of opportunities, is considered the first step towards bolstering British Jump racing and ensuring we remain competitive.
The next stage will focus on long-term investment in the top end of the sport, with work already well underway as part of British racing鈥檚聽industry strategy聽to ensure that prize money levels support the retention of higher rated horses in Britain.
BHA Director of International Racing and Racing Development, Ruth Quinn, said:
鈥淭he Jump Pattern programme in Britain has undergone an in-depth review, focusing on how we best support and improve the performance of Jump racing at the top end of the pyramid, both in the short and longer-term.
鈥淭he Jump Pattern Committee has worked closely with racecourses, especially the Jockey Club 鈥� which stages most of our Jump Pattern races 鈥� to identify ways to see our best horses more regularly running against each other, but also strengthen our important developmental races, which help propel our horses towards the height of their ability.
鈥淲orking to these guiding principles, we have developed a package of changes, with races repositioned within a slimmed-down 2023/24 programme. The aim is to ensure our top contests are spaced more appropriately and consistently throughout the season 鈥� and hopefully deliver more competitive, meaningful and engaging racing as a consequence.
鈥淚ncreased funding, investment and prize money remains an important aim in terms of how we continually strengthen our higher profile contests, but these structural changes to the programme are a significant step in ensuring that our horses can maximise their prospects of succeeding at the highest level, as well producing a race programme that is consistently more engaging to bettors, fans and the media.鈥�
The Jockey Club鈥檚 Group Racing Director, Richard Norris, commented:
鈥淲ith the majority of Britain鈥檚 Jump Pattern races being run at our venues, we have welcomed the opportunity to play a leading role in this in-depth review.
鈥淲e hope that the changes will be met with approval from all stakeholders and will play a large part in making the upper tiers of British Jump racing stronger and more competitive throughout the season.
鈥淒espite the majority of the changes affecting races at our tracks we are happy to support a 鈥榣ess is more鈥� approach, and hope this slimmed-down programme, with some races repositioned, will prove beneficial for all concerned.鈥�
Paul Nicholls, who will be crowned 14-time Champion Jump Trainer this week, added:
鈥淭he changes to the timings and venues of certain races are all sensible and will help trainers better campaign their good horses. Increased competition and more prize money at the top end can only be a good thing for the sport.鈥�
Full changes to 2023/24 Programme
The full Jump Pattern and Listed programme for 2023/24 season is聽.
The list of changes is published below, with categories split into Novice Hurdles, Open Hurdles, Novice Chases and Open Chases.
Novice Hurdles
Juveniles
- 尝颈蝉迟别诲听Summit Hurdle聽to be run at Aintree one week earlier (replacing the juvenile fillies鈥� race) creating better spacing between the Grade 2聽Prestbury听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘) and Grade 2聽贵颈苍补濒别听(Chepstow)
- New Listed fillies鈥� juvenile hurdle at Newbury introduced at the beginning of December, replacing the race previously taking place at Aintree
- Scottish Triumph Hurdle聽(Musselburgh) to retain Listed status, but with amended race conditions. Pattern-class horses have option of Grade 2聽Finesse听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘) a week prior.
2 miles
- Grade 2聽Sharp听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘) moved to October from November
- Listed hurdle聽(Kempton Park) removed from programme
- Newton聽(Haydock Park) upgraded to Grade 2 from Listed status
- New Listed race added to Sandown Park鈥檚 Tingle Creek meeting
- Grade 1聽Tolworth聽moved to Aintree鈥檚 new Boxing Day fixture and open to horses 3yo+
- Grade 2聽Kennel Gate听(础蝉肠辞迟) removed from programme
2陆 miles
- Listed race at Cheltenham鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Day meeting removed from programme (from 2022/23)
- Grade 2聽Leamington聽(Warwick) removed from programme, providing better spacing between the Grade 1聽Challow聽(Newbury) and the Grade 2聽Classic听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘)
Open Hurdles
2 miles
- Grade 2聽International听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘) to be run during Festival Trials Day at the end of January
- Grade 2聽Champion Hurdle Trial聽(Haydock Park) and 尝颈蝉迟别诲听Contenders聽(Sandown Park) removed from programme (latter race removed for 2022/23)
- Long-term ambition for the introduction of new Grade 1 Hurdle over 2 miles at the end of the season, providing a further Grade 1 opportunity after the Cheltenham Festival, in line with other divisions.
Novice Steeple Chases
2 miles
- Grade 2聽尝颈驳丑迟苍颈苍驳听to be moved to Lingfield Park and run one-week earlier in January to create a three-week gap with the Grade 2聽碍颈苍驳尘补办别谤听(Warwick)
2陆 miles
- Grade 2聽Towton聽(Wetherby) moved to mid-January and run over reduced distance of two and a half miles (previously 3 miles)
- Grade 2聽Dipper听(颁丑别濒迟别苍丑补尘), Grade 2聽Future Champion聽(Ayr) and Grade 2聽Altcar聽(Haydock Park) removed from the race programme.
3 miles
- Introduction of a Listed Chase over 3 miles to be run at Cheltenham鈥檚 November meeting
- Introduction of a new Grade 2 race at Sandown Park at the Tingle Creek meeting in early December
- Removal of the Grade 2聽John Francome聽(Newbury) and the Grade 2聽December听(顿辞苍肠补蝉迟别谤)
Open Steeple Chases
2 miles
- Grade 2聽Desert Orchid聽(Kempton Park, late December) to become a Grade 2 Limited Handicap, creating a space in the weight-for-age programme between the Grade 1聽Tingle Creek聽(Sandown Park) and Grade 1聽Clarence House听(础蝉肠辞迟)
2陆 miles
- Aspiration to move Grade 2聽Peterborough Chase聽(Huntingdon) one week later from 2024/25 to create bigger gap between the Grade 2聽1965 Chase听(础蝉肠辞迟) and the Grade 2聽Silviniaco Conti聽(Kempton Park).
3 miles
- Removal of 尝颈蝉迟别诲听Future Stars Intermediate聽(Sandown Park) and Grade 2聽Many Clouds听(础颈苍迟谤别别)
- Grade 2聽Peter Marsh Limited Handicap聽(Haydock Park) to become full weight-range Premier Handicap.
The Jump Pattern Committee
The Jump Pattern Committee advises and makes recommendations to the BHA Board on matters relating to maintaining and improving the programme of Jump Pattern and Listed races.
The membership of the Jump Pattern Committee is as follows:
Hopper Cavendish (C)
Richard Aston
Simon Clare
David Cleary
Sam Hoskins
Emma Lavelle
Lee Mottershead
Amy Murphy
Paul Nicholls
Richard Norris
Ruth Quinn
Vanessa Ryle
For more information, see the Committees page.
