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The British Horseracing Authority, together with Cheltenham and Aintree, has 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 Aintree for 2021.
This is to take account of the loss of qualification opportunities due to the cancellation of point-to-point racing in both Ireland and Britain in line with government guidance.
Full race conditions for both races will be available via the Racing Admin website shortly.
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 January 20th and March 1st 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 January 20th to March 22nd 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.
A decision regarding the participation of amateur riders in these races will be made nearer to the time in line with government guidance at that point.
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