FOUR new listed races over jumps for mares have been added to the programme for the current season. Two of them are bumpers, one is a two-mile novice hurdle and the other addition is an open two and a half-mile hurdle race.

Two existing mares’ listed races at the Punchestown Festival – a bumper and a handicap chase – have been upgraded, while further enhancements to the mares’ calendar are on the way.

Horse Racing Ireland’s race planning manager Shane Doyle said: “The ongoing refinement and upgrading of the mares’ National Hunt programme has had a positive impact, with the number of younger mares [aged five or less] running up 11% in the past 12 months compared to the previous year. Along with initiatives such as the ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme, this will hopefully be reflected in strong demand for fillies at the sales.”

There are now four mares’ only blacktype opportunities in bumpers spread evenly through the season. One of the upgraded hurdle races was won this year by Annie Power. Even though it was a three-runner race and Annie Power won at odds of 1/20, the form was upheld not only by the winner but also by runner-up Legacy Gold who placed third in the Grade 1 David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Boreen Belle EBF Novice Hurdle over two miles at Thurles in December, now a listed race, will provide an additional opportunity between the Grade 3 EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal in November and the Grade 3 Solerina Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in early February.

As a result of the additional novice hurdle at Thurles, the two and a half-mile Grade 3 EBF Mares Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival will no longer be confined to first and second season mares, although it will continue to exclude Grade 1 winners.

The Liss A Paoraigh EBF Bumper at the Punchestown Festival, raised from listed to Grade 3 status, will see its prize money grow from €40,000 to €50,000. In addition there will be no penalties so that it can be run as a true ‘Champion Bumper’ for mares.

HRI says there will be a further increase to the number of mares’ only National Hunt races in the current season, with a particular focus on bumpers and maiden hurdles for younger mares to encourage their earlier participation. There will also be a series of higher value mares’ handicap hurdles, the first of which was a €30,000 event in Ballinrobe in late May.