Fewer options for top horses can revive British jump racing says review group

British jump racing's fightback from a mauling at the hands of the Irish at Cheltenham last year has been revealed in plans to introduce more handicaps in place of Graded races like the Clarence House Chase, bigger prize-money, and fewer options for stars to avoid one another to ensure a more "battle hardened" team for future festivals.

The conclusions are among those to have emerged from a cross-industry group handed a mission to identify ways of reviving the sport's fortunes following the remarkable 23-5 rout in March last year.

Revealing some of the conclusions in a guest column in the Racing Post, Ruth Quinn, a senior figure at the BHA who has been chairing the Quality Jump Racing Review Group in recent months, said the sport has "a pressing need to produce an ambitious and exciting blueprint for change".