Chepstow disappointed as Finale Hurdle loses Grade 1 tag in jumps Pattern shift

Bosses at Chepstow are disappointed the track has had its only Grade 1 race downgraded as part of an annual review of the jumps Pattern, but are determined to try to quickly regain its status.

The Finale Juvenile Hurdle will lose its Grade 1 tag this season after failing to meet agreed Pattern-race parameters. The move was announced by the BHA alongside other changes to the British jumps Pattern and Listed races for the 2022-23 season.

The long-running contest staged as part of Chepstow's Welsh Grand National meeting in December has been won by a host of future stars.

The course's executive director Phil Bell said: "It's disappointing they've done this, but we are not surprised as we had indications that we were not meeting the criteria.

"This has been an excellent race over the years with horses such as Bristol De Mai and Defi Du Seuil winning it, and I don't believe the quality of the race will come down.

"I'm confident the change will have no effect on the crowds on Welsh National day. The meeting is a national celebration and the people will still come, but we do want to improve the quality of the racing and will be speaking to trainers and doing our best to get the Grade 1 status back as soon as possible."

A young Bristol De Mai (right) makes his name on the big stage as he lands the Finale Hurdle in 2014Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Two other races have been downgraded for this season – the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle, also at Chepstow, has dropped to Class 2 from Grade 3 and Doncaster's Summit Juvenile Hurdle is now a Listed race having previously been a Grade 2.

In a further change announced, Grade 3 handicaps will be renamed as premier handicaps, with Listed handicaps removed entirely from the programme. Races which were previously Listed handicaps will become premier handicaps or be downgraded to Class 2 status.

There will also be a requirement for novices and juveniles to run in four races (up from three) prior to competing in Class 1 and 2 handicap hurdles.

The BHA has also given advanced notice of changes to bumpers from the start of the 2023-24 season which are designed to boost numbers in the ranks of novice hurdles.

Horses are to be restricted to three runs in bumpers with a fourth permitted only in select high-grade events such as the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham or the end-of-season championship events at Aintree and Sandown.

In addition, six-year-olds will no longer be able to run in bumpers following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, a move about which trainer John Berry said: "I can't see the logic at all."

More changes are in the pipeline for the 2023-24 campaign as the BHA aims to boost prize-money levels at the top end of jump racing.

Ruth Quinn, the BHA's director of international racing and racing development, said: "Work is under way to strengthen the performance in the upper tier of British jump racing. This is focusing specifically on the size and the shape of the Pattern and the financial rewards for owners competing in our highest-level contests."

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