This update is intended to inform participants of the key changes that will be delivered across Programme Book 1, which covers the period from 1 January to 28 March 2025.

Premier Racedays

2025 Premier Racedays have seen a 10% increase in required values compared to 2024, which means they will be run for at least £275k on the Flat (£247.5k Sunday) and £220K over Jumps (£198k Sunday).

Higher Minimum Race Values will continue to apply at Premier Racedays, where, in addition to the total fixture values, no Flat race will be worth less than £22,000 and no Jump race less than £16,500.

Programme Book 1 will see the following Premier Racedays:

Jump Programme

1. Increased funding to Grade 2 Novice and Listed Hurdles

The primary area of BHA Development Fund support in Jump racing over the last two years has been targeted at Grade 2 and Listed Juvenile Hurdles. These payments allow Grade 2 Juvenile hurdles to be run for £80,000 and Listed at £40,000.

The BHA is now expanding that approach to Grade 2 and Listed Novice Hurdles. With a reduced number of higher quality young jump horses being trained in Britain, the BHA believes that investing in the programme for better horses to aim at is of the utmost importance. This spend is therefore intended to support the provision of appropriate financial incentives for young horses to be trained and campaigned in Britain.

For PB1 therefore, other than at the Cheltenham Festival, Grade 2 Novice Hurdles will be run for at least £75,000. This is compared to Premier Minimum Value of £55,000 and Core Minimum Value of £30,000.

Listed Novice Hurdles have all been boosted to £40,000, compared to Premier minimum value of £30,000 and Core of £20,000).

2. National Hunt Flat Races

A reminder that changes have been made to the Rules of Racing which mean that:

– A horse may only run in three National Hunt Flat races but may run in a fourth NHF race if any of their first three runs were in a Pattern or Listed Race or their fourth run is to be in a Pattern or Listed Race

– A horse may run in a fifth National Hunt Flat Race if their fifth run is a Pattern Race held during the same season as their fourth run.

3. Jump Pattern

Changes to the mares’ Jump programme have been agreed to build on and strengthen the success of the programme over the past 10 years by increasing opportunities and incentivising the retention of higher quality race mares in training.

The following changes have been made to the Mares’ Class 1 Steeple Chase Programme.

– Newbury’s Listed 3m Mares’ Chase – 15 January

Race moved to Newbury’s January fixture to create better spacing in the mares’ 2 1/2 miles and 3 miles chase division.

– Huntingdon’s Lady Protectress Mares’ Chase (2m 4f) – 6 February

Moved to the Huntingdon’s February fixture to create better spacing in the mares’ 2 1/2 miles and 3 miles chase division.

– New Listed Agatha Christie 2m Mares’ Novices’ Chase at Exeter – 9 February

A new race that will join Bangor-on-Dee’s race in November as an additional option in the programme for 2m novice chase mares.

– Exeter’s Listed 3m Mares’ Chase – 21 February

Moved to the Exeter’s second fixture in February to create better spacing in the mares’ 2 1/2 miles and 3 miles chase division.

The following changes have been made to the Mares’ Class 1 Hurdle Programme:

– Warfield Mares’ Hurdle and Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle distance switch in January

The Grade 2 Warfield at Ascot and Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose at Doncaster will switch distances this season, so that the Warfield (18 January) is the 2-mile option and the Yorkshire Rose (25 January) is run over 3 miles.

– New Kelso Listed 3m Mares’ Hurdle – 22 March

A new race has bene added intended to offer an additional opportunity for staying mares during the second half of the season.

Flat Programme

1. Divisions

The division threshold for races on the All-Weather outside the Flat Turf season (11 November 2024 – 28 March 2025) has been set at 16 declarations rather than 18.

2. Rider Restricted Week

All Flat AW fixtures scheduled from Monday 17 February to Friday 21 February have been set as rider restricted fixtures.

Only jockeys licensed by the BHA who have ridden fewer than 30 winners in 2024 will be eligible to ride. The list of such riders will be published on Thursday 2 January.

3. Trial removal of +1/+2 in Class 5 & 6 Flat Handicaps

The trial of the removal of +1/+2 in Class 5 & 6 Flat Handicaps remains through to 31 August 2025.

In order to support this, a change has been made to the rules of racing which allows a horse which is trained in Great Britain and has run in two Flat races and has won its second start to now also run in a Class 4 handicap, in addition to Class 5 and 6 handicaps (or other rating-related race) if they have been allotted a rating of 77 or lower.

4. 3YO Handicap Programme

There are 98 3YO handicaps in Programme book 1 2025, compared to 138 in 2024. This reduction has been considered by taking into account 2024 performance, in particular at Class 3 and 4.

The remaining programme has been considered to provide an appropriate number of opportunities nationwide; however performance of these races and the horse population will remain under review.

5. Novice/Maiden 3yo+ Programme

From January to the beginning of the turf season, there will be an even split of races between open and restricted races at distances between 6f and 1m.

Overall

1. Division Thresholds

The maximum prize money threshold for races dividing will be:

All racecourses will be assumed to be dividing races at up to these thresholds unless:

– Racecourses can opt out of dividing races at Core fixtures to a maximum prize money threshold of £15,000 and instead operate to a maximum threshold of £12,000

– Racecourses can opt in to dividing races at Core Flat Fixtures to a maximum threshold of £20,000.

If you have any queries with regards Programme Book 1, or indeed any other race planning matters, please contact the BHA Racing Department.