Thursday’s racing news is led by the final declarations and draw arrangements for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, alongside Kind Of Blue’s Kempton success and new British Horseracing Authority procedures intended to improve Jump-racing starts.
Arc declarations and draw arrangements
Final declarations for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe close at 9.30am Paris time on Thursday. The starting-gate positions will then be drawn electronically under judicial supervision, but the result will not be disclosed until the Arc Opening Ceremony in Paris this evening.
France Galop says the Arc stall positions will be revealed on stage at 8.45pm French time.Their ceremony announcement has the full arrangements.
Kind Of Blue back on the mark at Kempton
Kind Of Blue returned to winning form in Kempton’s six-furlong Conditions Stakes, taking the lead in the final furlong under James Doyle and scoring by three-quarters of a length. Mitbaahy was second, with Montassib third.
The James Fanshawe-trained five-year-old had not won since landing the Champions Sprint at Ascot in 2024. The result gives him a route back to that race at British Champions Day.
New Jump-racing start procedures from October
The British Horseracing Authority will introduce new Jump-racing starting procedures on 5 October in an initial trial. A visible start area will be marked by poles, and races can begin only once the front rank has entered it.
The maximum approach to the tapes will change from “walk or jig-jog” to “walking pace”. The trial is intended to make starts more controlled and reduce false starts, particularly at major meetings; riders will be informed of breaches during the trial but not penalised for the new requirements. Read the BHA announcement.
Racing today
The first and last race times below are from the live racecards when this draft was built. Check for late changes before publication.
Bellewstown — first race: 13:00 · last race: 17:05
Nottingham — first race: 13:23 · last race: 16:50
Salisbury — first race: 13:30 · last race: 17:25
Clonmel — first race: 13:49 · last race: 17:17
Southwell — first race: 14:15 · last race: 17:10
Newcastle — first race: 17:00 · last race: 20:30
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