THE British Horseracing Authority (BHA) insists that Irish jockeys and officials were integral to the process of making recommendations to fix the Cheltenham Festival’s false start saga that caused carnage at the 2026 meeting. The track is now on the cusp of reconfiguring its starting places for future meetings.

The percentage of races resulting in an aborted start at the Cheltenham Festival has increased annually over the last five years from around 18% in 2022 to nearly 40% this spring, leaving disgruntled punters, jockeys, trainers and owners calling for improved systems. Those percentages are in stark contrast to jump racing more broadly, where the rate has fluctuated between around 3% and 4% of all starts.

A detailed review has been carried out by the BHA and Cheltenham Racecourse, a process that included extensive consultation with jockeys from Britain and Ireland alongside trainers, bettors, broadcasters, officials and other stakeholders.

A clear trend was found that the two-mile and two-and-a-half-mile starts on both the Old and New Course contributed a significant and disproportionate amount of false starts in relation to most other starting locations.

As a result, there is a suggestion to optimise the configuration of these points “to reduce natural field congestion and acceleration, within the confines of the topography of the land in these areas”.

In a bid for greater clarity, also among a total of five recommendations was a call to “transition the current wording within the rules as to the maximum pace at which a horse can approach the tapes from a “walk or jig-jog” to “walking pace””. This is intended to apply to all jump races.

The development of a “physical, highly visible ‘start zone’ at starts across all racecourses to create a zone in which a starter is able to start a race” is another recommendation in the mix, as is a move to “provide a greater deterrent against breaches of the rules at the start of major races”. There is a desrire to implement a tiered penalty increase, specifically targeting Class 1 and Class 2 races across all courses, in the same manner as the whip rules currently do.

Starting area

The introduction of a live audio recording system at the start area to capture communications and instructions given by starters to jockeys was also listed. This feed would become directly available to officials in the stewards’ room.

The BHA has stressed that these points remain, at this stage, as recommendations and will be scoped out in more detail prior to any implementation.

Asked about the input of Irish riders and officials in the recommendations, given some high-profile controversy involving Declan Queally and Nico de Boinville at last season’s Festival, BHA head of raceday officials Cathy O’Meara said: “They were integrally part of the process. We met with them via phone but also went over on a raceday and had a focus group where they were able to come in and out during their rides for the day.

“We spoke with 10 or 12 of them in person and met with our counterparts in the IHRB, as well as some of their starters and clerks of courses, to get their perspective on what they’re doing, and see how that might potentially be harmonised in the future.

“We’re not that far away from full harmonisation but at the same time, there are some nuances they experience. They are going through a trial at the moment where they don’t use a tape. They don’t have a start zone, but they do have poles further back, so there are some synergies with us to hopefully create a greater consistency of our processes.

“They are slightly different in their approach around the start flags, how they keep them raised and not. Over time, perhaps we can get a little closer to a harmonisation on that, but from this particular consultation, they’ve been extremely engaged and welcoming.

“It was nice to get the support and feedback that we did. You never know if you’re walking into a lion’s den or not, but I want to say how pleased I am with the support and engagement we’ve had from everyone we’ve reached out to.”

Some British riders have suggested that Irish riders adapting to UK starts is a factor in the ongoing issues at Cheltenham. However, starter Robbie Supple strongly pushed back against that claim in a BHA Podcast on the matter this week.

“There has been finger-pointing that the Irish boys are causing some of the problems but I just wanted to say that we don’t agree with that,” said Supple.

“I know the percentage of false starts is much lower throughout the season at other meetings, but it’s just the competitiveness of everything.”

Jockeys who participated in the process included Keith Donoghue, Jack Kennedy, Danny Mullins, Harry Skelton and Mark Walsh among others.