Cheltenham festival crackdown aimed at stalling significant rise in false starts

The British Horseracing Authority said on Thursday that it aims to introduce a series of measures before next year’s Cheltenham festival to tackle a significant rise in the number of false starts at National Hunt’s showpiece meeting. The percentage of false starts has climbed steadily over the past five years, from 18% in 2022 to nearly 40% at the 2026 meeting. The rate of false starts in jump racing is around 4% over the same period.

A review of this year’s meeting identified particular problems at the starts for races over two and two-and-a-half miles, which begin near a bend.

Proposed remedies include changes to the track layout at these starts “to reduce natural field congestion and acceleration” and make it easier for riders to line up across the track. The Authority also plans to introduce a “live audio recording system” at the start to capture instructions given by the starter to riders, which will feed directly to the stewards’ room.

Measures proposed for all British jumps tracks include the introduction of a “physical, highly visible start zone” in which a starter is able to start a race, to prevent situations when a field sets off well before the tapes. There is also an amendment to the rule covering all jump-racing starts that allows riders to approach the tapes at “a walk or jig-jog”. This will change to “walking pace” from the start of the “core” jumps season in October.

The Authority also plans to introduce a “tiered penalty structure”, similar to the framework that exists around the whip rules. This will significantly increase the penalties for jockeys found in breach of the rules before a Class One or Class Two race at any track.

“We hope these changes will lead to an improvement to starts at the festival and across jump racing,” said Cathy O’Meara, the BHA’s head of raceday officials. “But success also depends on everyone involved doing their part to observe the starting procedures.

“We will monitor how these measures bed in through 2027 and continue to refine them where necessary to ensure the best possible experience for horses, jockeys and racing fans.”

The proposed changes are recommendations, and there will be further discussions with all stakeholders and consideration given to trial periods before full implementation. Negotiations with the Professional Jockeys’ Association over the scale of increased penalties for rule breaches could be extensive.

The proposal to send live audio from the start to the stewards’ room is intriguing in light of the high-profile incident at this year’s meeting when the leading British-based rider Nico de Boinville was accused of directing “racist abuse” at Declan Queally before the start of the two-and-a-half mile Turners Novices’ Hurdle.

Shaun Parker, the BHA’s head of stewarding, said on Thursday that while the primary reason for the audio feed would be to “give an indication of what’s happening with regards to instructions from the starter”, the stewards also “look at all aspects” of any potential disciplinary matter so “the stewards will avail themselves of all evidence they can regarding any particular matter”.

Angels Lane can fly through huge field in Super Sprint

The Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, with weights allocated to the runners according to their auction price as yearlings, is the most valuable race of its kind in Britain and has attracted an even bigger field than usual for Saturday’s renewal, with 26 runners declared in pursuit of the £135,000 first prize.

A huge field of lightly raced juveniles chasing a once-in-a-lifetime payday feels like a recipe for upsets. The market has been a strong guide in recent seasons, however, while a double-figure draw and a mid-to-prominent running style have also been major positives in a race where a pace collapse is strong possibility.

That still leaves several promising candidates to consider, including Bint Archange, a Listed winner at Sandown two weeks ago, and Sky Secret, a big improver for an outing when successful at Leicester in May.

Perhaps the strongest bet at the likely odds, though, is Henry Candy’s filly Angels Lane, the winner of her only previous start at Chepstow in June.

She set off at 33-1 there and her greenness was much in evidence throughout, but she showed plenty of speed and found an excellent turn of foot to spring the surprise.

Candy’s juveniles almost invariably improve for an outing – his two-year-old runners, in fact, show a level-stakes profit on their second run – and Angels Lane (3.37) appeals as the pick of the prices for Saturday’s feature at around 10-1.

Newbury 1.55: Oceans Four was a Group Three winner in France as a juvenile last season and bounced back from a dismal seasonal debut when fourth in a Group Three at Royal Ascot next time.

Market Rasen 2.10: Dan Skelton’s Louis Veron is a potential handicap blot but this is a significant step up in class and High Fibre is a viable each-way alternative at around 12-1. His best hurdles form for Harry Fry gives him an obvious chance, this is his first start over timber for James Owen, and Sean Bowen, the champion jockey, takes the reins.

Newbury 2.25: Six live contenders in a seven-strong field for this two-mile handicap but Almuhit’s solid record over track and trip tips the balance in his favour

Market Rasen 2.45: The front-running Breizh River has been in fine form in recent weeks, showed plenty of grit to get his head in front at Cartmel last month and this track should suit his front-running style.

Newbury 3.02: Soldier’s Tree has joined the ever-extending list of horses to improve for a switch to James Owen’s stable and can continue his progress with a first Listed success.

Ripon 3.15: This slight ease in grade and a little more juice in the ground could see Elsass bounce back after a disappointing run at the July festival.