Changes to the National Hunt Pattern programme confirmed
Friday, July 18, 2025
The National Hunt Provisional Summary for September to December is now online and includes a number of changes to the National Hunt Pattern programme. Photo: Caroline Norris/Racing Post
The National Hunt Provisional Summary for September to December is now online and includes a number of changes to the National Hunt Pattern programme.
The National Hunt Pattern Committee has met twice this year to review the National Hunt Pattern programme and made a number of recommendations following their June meeting. These recommendations were accepted by the HRI Programmes Committee at their meeting last week and will come into effect this season.
The Grade 1 Christmas Novice Steeplechase (2m 1f) will return to the Leopardstown Christmas programme, with the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Steeplechase at Limerick’s Christmas meeting being run over an extended distance of 2m 5f. The Grade 1 Fort Leney Novice Steeplechase (3m) at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting has been deleted.
In 2023, the decision was taken by the National Hunt Pattern Committee, and subsequently approved by the HRI Programmes Committee, to reduce the number of Grade 1 Novice Steeplechases in the Christmas Novice Steeplechase programme from three to two, to increase competitiveness. Following a review of the 2024/2025 programme, it was deemed optimal to reinstate the Christmas Novice Steeplechase at Leopardstown and create a greater distance differential with that race and the Faugheen Novice Steeplechase by extending the Limerick Grade 1 by 1.5 furlongs.
Two races have been subject to downgrade from Grade 3 to Listed for failing to maintain their minimum required average rating – the Jezki Hurdle at Down Royal on October 31, and the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at Naas in February. The Jezki Hurdle will retain its current value (€50,000) this season.
While not in this Provisional Summary period, the National Hunt Pattern Committee has also recommended that the Grade 2 Directors Plate Steeplechase (2m) at Naas in early January be deleted.
There will also be a number of changes to Pattern Bumpers for the 2025/26 season.
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to exclude 7-y-o’s
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to exclude horses that won a Graded Bumper prior to the current season
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to have a limit of not more than six previous runs
•All Graded & Listed Bumpers to exclude horses which ran in a hurdle race (excluding Academy hurdles)
•Grade 1 winners excluded from the Liss A Paoraigh Bumper (Punchestown festival)
Click here to view the National Hunt Provisional Summary - September 5 - December 31 2025
The National Hunt Pattern Committee has met twice this year to review the National Hunt Pattern programme and made a number of recommendations following their June meeting. These recommendations were accepted by the HRI Programmes Committee at their meeting last week and will come into effect this season.
The Grade 1 Christmas Novice Steeplechase (2m 1f) will return to the Leopardstown Christmas programme, with the Grade 1 Faugheen Novice Steeplechase at Limerick’s Christmas meeting being run over an extended distance of 2m 5f. The Grade 1 Fort Leney Novice Steeplechase (3m) at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting has been deleted.
In 2023, the decision was taken by the National Hunt Pattern Committee, and subsequently approved by the HRI Programmes Committee, to reduce the number of Grade 1 Novice Steeplechases in the Christmas Novice Steeplechase programme from three to two, to increase competitiveness. Following a review of the 2024/2025 programme, it was deemed optimal to reinstate the Christmas Novice Steeplechase at Leopardstown and create a greater distance differential with that race and the Faugheen Novice Steeplechase by extending the Limerick Grade 1 by 1.5 furlongs.
Two races have been subject to downgrade from Grade 3 to Listed for failing to maintain their minimum required average rating – the Jezki Hurdle at Down Royal on October 31, and the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at Naas in February. The Jezki Hurdle will retain its current value (€50,000) this season.
While not in this Provisional Summary period, the National Hunt Pattern Committee has also recommended that the Grade 2 Directors Plate Steeplechase (2m) at Naas in early January be deleted.
There will also be a number of changes to Pattern Bumpers for the 2025/26 season.
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to exclude 7-y-o’s
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to exclude horses that won a Graded Bumper prior to the current season
•All Graded and Listed Bumpers to have a limit of not more than six previous runs
•All Graded & Listed Bumpers to exclude horses which ran in a hurdle race (excluding Academy hurdles)
•Grade 1 winners excluded from the Liss A Paoraigh Bumper (Punchestown festival)
Click here to view the National Hunt Provisional Summary - September 5 - December 31 2025
