In light of the cancelled meetings on Friday 19 January and Saturday 20 January, the BHA has today officially agreed to reschedule a number of races that have been lost.
The Grade 2 Mares Warfield Hurdle (from Ascot) and the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (from Haydock) will both now be staged on Town Moor during SBK Great Yorkshire Chase Weekend.
The Rossington will be run on Saturday 27 January for £40,000, adding to an already stacked card brimming with high-quality racing, including the Listed SBK Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle, Grade 2 SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle, Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle and the Premier Handicap SBK Great Yorkshire Chase.
The Mares Hurdle has been added to the card on Sunday 28 January, where it will stand as the feature race, and will be run for £45,000.
Both races will re-open for entries on Monday (22nd.)
Tom Byrne, BHA Head of Racing and Betting, said: “We are grateful to Cheltenham, Doncaster and Market Rasen for agreeing to host these races and to the Levy Board for their funding support. We hope that retaining these opportunities is welcomed by fans of the sport as well as the connections of all the possible contenders..
“When rescheduling, there are often questions regarding the reduced prize money values the races are subsequently run for. Where a race is added to a pre-existing card at a different racecourse, there are usually significant challenges for that new venue, including the limited time to secure sponsorship support, changing ITV coverage and existing prize money commitments.
“Therefore, a combination of additional Levy Board and BHA prize money funds are utilised to support the Racecourse Executive contribution and entry fees to run these races at as high a value as possible. This is usually below the original value due to the limited nature of those additional central funds.
“The alternative would likely be to not reschedule these races at all and so where it is still considered in the overall best interests of customers and participants, we always look to do so.”
Join us for an electrifying two days of excitement on Town Moor! Experience the thrill of top-quality horse racing amidst a backdrop of Yorkshire pride, as we celebrate the white rose county on SBK Great Yorkshire Chase Weekend. Tickets start from £19. Get yours for Saturday here and Sunday here.
