New starting procedures announced for jumps racing

Further changes to the starting procedures for jumps racing will commence next week, with a visible “start area” set to be introduced with the aim of ensuring “controlled starts and fewer false starts”.

Starts for major jumps races were a hot topic last season, especially at the Cheltenham Festival, where false or aborted starts have risen at an alarming rate to nearly 40 per cent from 18 per cent in 2022.

In an effort to combat this and following an extensive review carried out earlier in the summer, there will be an introduction of a visible “start area” designated by a new set of marker poles up to 40 yards back from the existing marker poles. Races will only be allowed to start when the front rank of the field has entered the designated start area.

Further to this the wording within the rules as to the maximum pace at which the front rank of the field can approach the tapes has changed from “walk or jig-jog” to “walking pace”.

The changes, which were developed in consultation with jockeys, trainers and officials including the likes of Harry Skelton, Gavin Sheehan, Jack Kennedy and Danny Mullins, will initially run on a trial basis for a period of six to eight weeks starting on October 5, with riders informed of any breach to the new rules but not sanctioned by raceday stewards.

Cathy O’Meara, Head of Raceday Officials for the British Horseracing Authority, said: “We are hopeful that the new procedures will create greater certainty for jockeys and the viewing public and reduce the number of false starts, especially at major fixtures where the issue is much more acute.

“We’ll monitor how it works through the trial period and will work with jockeys, trainers and officials to determine whether any adjustments are necessary.”

Dale Gibson, Executive Director (Racing) for the Professional Jockeys Association, added: “A smooth and fair start for all horses is important for everyone – jockeys, trainers, owners, racing staff and those betting on the sport – and the PJA and our members were keen and active participants in the review.

“We therefore welcome the outcome and recommendations, many of which were proposed by senior riders and our safety officers.

“With relatively few valuable, large-field races throughout the year, the changes cannot guarantee there will never be false or aborted starts. But we believe the changes will lead to an improved process and make them less likely in general and less frequent overall.”

Further to the above changes, which will begin on Monday, other recommendations which were published following the earlier review in July remain in development.

These include changes to the track layout at Cheltenham racecourse’s two most problematic starting points – the two-mile and two-and-a-half mile starts – with revised layouts envisaged to be in operation for the track’s three-day November meeting.

There is also scope for a tiered penalty increase specifically targeting Class One and Class Two races, plus the introduction of a live audio recording system at the start area to capture communications and instructions given by starters to jockeys, with a direct feed to the stewards’ room. The intention is for this to come into play ahead of 2027 Cheltenham Festival.