Bar on Irish runners in low-grade handicaps an 'absolute joke' - Gordon Elliott

Gordon Elliott labelled the BHA rule preventing Irish runners from competing in low-grade jumps handicaps as an "absolute joke" as the summer season in Britain battles against record low field sizes.

The average field size over jumps dropped to a low of 6.99 runners in June, prompting trainers Fergal O'Brien and Dan Skelton to call for a fixture reduction, while leading summer jumps tracks are set for discussions around poor field sizes with industry representatives.

When racing resumed in June 2020 following the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, international runners were only permitted to compete in Class 1 races or heritage handicaps in Britain to "assist with controlling transmission of the virus" but these restrictions were relaxed to allow runners in almost all races the following September.