A REDUCTION in field sizes for all two-mile chases at Cheltenham was one of the headline recommendations after the British Horseracing Authority published its review of the 2018 Festival.

The ruling body conducted what it described as a “rigorous process of data evaluation, consultation and review of video evidence” following the death of six horses during the showpiece meeting in March – including three in the concluding Grand Annual Chase.

the BHA noted there had been suggestions in the immediate aftermath that the fatality rate in the Grand Annual had been “adversely affected by the race being positioned at the end of Friday’s card”.

However, after comparing the race to the County Hurdle – previously the concluding race of the Festival – it said the position of the race had “little impact on the faller rate”.

REDUCED

But the review did recommend that field size for the Grand Annual and all two-mile chases run at the track should be reduced from 24 to 20.

Brant Dunshea, chief regulatory officer for the BHA, said: “The publication of this report represents the outcome of a substantial and significant project.

“The scale of research and evaluation carried out has allowed us to form a greater understanding of the variable factors that contribute to risk at the Festival, and to put in place tangible recommendations which we expect, collectively, to make racing at the Cheltenham Festival safer.

“Our thanks go to all involved, especially Cheltenham racecourse and the Jockey Club who have always fully supported the need for a review and have actively engaged in the process.

“The publishing of this report does not by any means represent the end of our commitment to enhancing welfare standards, at Cheltenham racecourse and across all British racecourses.”

The review was led by a dedicated group and with external inputs including the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare, with the analysis covering all races run at the Festival from 2007 to 2018 – including 5,451 runners and 208 fallers.

The 67-page report includes a total of 17 recommendations, which the BHA said had “the objective of reducing the risk of injuries occurring during the Festival and at other Cheltenham fixtures, and across jump racing as a whole”.

EXPERIENCED

Along with the field-size reduction, key recommendations include a change to the race conditions of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, which would mean all rider weight-claiming allowances would be removed in a bid to encourage connections to use the most experienced jockeys.

The review also recommends pre-race veterinary examinations be increased to include all runners in all races at the Festival.

The BHA said an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations will now be developed by “no later than February 2019''.