The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), together with Cheltenham and Aintree, has today confirmed changes to the race conditions for the St James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase at the Randox Grand National Festival for 2021.
This is to take account of the loss of qualification opportunities due to the suspension of point-to-point racing in Britain in line with government guidance on grassroots sport there, and suspension of point-to-point racing here from January 13.
St James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Race conditions have up to now required horses to have either finished in the first two in a hunters’ steeple chase on two occasions or won two open point-to-point races, or one of each, within the previous two-and-a-half years.
A condition has been added for this year only to allow horses who finish in the first four on two occasions in a hunters’ steeple chase between 20 January – 1 March 2021 to qualify.
Horses who are already fully qualified do not need to re-qualify with the additional conditions. If a horse has had one run which qualifies, only one further run which qualifies is required.
Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase
Race conditions have up to now required horses to have either:
Finished in the first three in a hunters’ steeple chase on two occasions; or
Finished in the first three in a hunters’ steeple chase on one occasion and won either another steeple chase (hunter’s steeple chases included) or an open point-point race during the current point-to-point season
In the previous two-and-a half years.
A condition has been added for this year only to allow horses who finish in the first four on two occasions in a hunters’ steeple chase between 20 January – 22 March 2021 to qualify.
Horses who are already fully qualified do not need to re-qualify with the additional conditions. If a horse has had one run which qualifies, only one further run which qualifies is required.
