The bout of false starts which blighted the 2026 Cheltenham Festival may be a thing of the past after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced plans to combat them throughout the upcoming jumps season.
These measures will come into play almost immediately, with the initial trials starting on October 5th. Chepstow’s Persian War meeting begins later the same week as a starting point of the National Hunt season proper.
A statement on the matter was released by the BHA on Wednesday afternoon. False starts have been a lingering problem throughout jumps racing, but have become increasingly problematic at big meetings, including the Cheltenham Festival. At this year’s event at Prestbury Park, more than ten races were interrupted at the outset due to false starts.
However, two new pillars will be used to check new measures against false starts. The first is that tracks will require a designated “start area” 40 yards in advance of the starting point of any given race, from which runners can begin to walk in towards the starter. The second measure will be the pace at which a field can move towards the start; runners can now only go at a “walking pace” rather than a “walk or jig-jog.”
Multiple stakeholders, including jockeys and trainers, were consulted during the process, with the Professional Jockeys’ Association keen on the changes. Their Executive Director, Dale Gibson, said: “A smooth and fair start for all horses is important for everyone – jockeys, trainers, owners, racing staff and those betting on the sport – and the PJA and our members were keen and active participants in the review. We therefore welcome the outcome and recommendations, many of which were proposed by senior riders and our safety officers. With relatively few valuable, large-field races throughout the year, the changes cannot guarantee there will never be false or aborted starts. But we believe the changes will lead to an improved process and make them less likely in general and less frequent overall.
“We will continue to work closely with our members and the BHA on the remaining areas for consultation during the initial trial period once the amended procedures commence.”
Similarly, Cathy O’Meara, Head of Raceday Officials for the BHA, weighed in on the new measures:
“I would like to express our thanks to all of those who have given their time throughout this project, in particular to the jockeys who have willingly shared their time and expertise and helped us shape these new procedures.
“We are hopeful that the new procedures will create greater certainty for jockeys and the viewing public and reduce the number of false starts, especially at major fixtures where the issue is much more acute.
“We’ll monitor how it works through the trial period and will work with jockeys, trainers and officials to determine whether any adjustments are necessary.”