Two mares’ races promoted to Grade 1
The Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter festival moves from Grade 2 status to Grade 1. This year's winner of the race, Shadow Eile, went on to land a further four races over the summer.
The Grade 3 Open Mares’ race on the Saturday of the Punchestown festival has been fast-tracked to Grade 1 status in order to create an end of season championship event for mares.
HRI’s Director of Racing, Jason Morris, said: “The two hurdle races will be the first Grade 1 National Hunt events exclusively for mares in either Ireland or Britain.
"The upgrading of the Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse’s Easter meeting to Grade 1 status was merited, based upon its historical quality, while the promotion of the Open Mares Race at the Punchestown festival was a strategic decision to provide an end of season championship event which will hopefully attract all the best mares from Ireland and overseas.
“The upgrading of five mares black type races for the 2012/13 NH season, including a new Grade 2 steeplechase and two new Grade 1 hurdles, underlines HRI’s commitment to encouraging the production and retention in Ireland of high quality mares for National Hunt racing."
