BHA announce changes to starting procedures for jump races

In a move that will have ramifications for any Irish trained runner in a National Hunt race in Britain, the BHA yesterday outlined a raft of new starting procedures for jumps races in a bid to avoid a repeat of the controversial start to last season’s Crabbie’s Grand National.

All bar one of the 40 jockeys in the £1 million chase faced a BHA disciplinary inquiry to determine whether they had breached any rules regarding conduct at the start, with runners breaking through the starting tape as one horse, Battle Group, refused to line up.

Although no disciplinary action was taken against the jockeys, the BHA has introduced a series of amendments to offer what it claims is greater clarity for starters and jockeys.