FOUR new Listed races have been added to the mares' programme for the coming jumps season by Horse Racing Ireland.

They include two bumpers - the Mucklemeg EBF Flat Race at Gowran Park in September and the Total Enjoyment Flat Race at Fairyhouse in February.

This takes the black-type opportunities in bumpers up to four, spread evenly through the season.

There are also two new Listed hurdle races - the Boreen Belle EBF Novice Hurdle over two miles at Thurles in December and a two-and-a-half-mile conditions hurdle at Punchestown in February which was introduced in 2014 as a trial race for the Cheltenham Festival.

Two mares' races have been upgraded at the Punchestown Festival with the Glencarraig Lady EBF Handicap Chase being awarded Grade B status and the Liss A Paoraigh EBF Bumper being raised from Listed to Grade Three status, with its prize money growing from €40,000 to €50,000.

In addition to the black-type changes, there will be a further increase to the number of mares-only National Hunt races, 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.

Race planning manager HRI, 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 (five years old or less) running up 11 per cent in the past 12 months compared to the previous year."