HRI series restricting top four trainers from 60 races is set to go ahead but will be reviewed before next season

Horse Racing Ireland's (HRI) initiative which will exclude the top four jumps trainers in Ireland from 60 races next year is set to go ahead as planned but will be reviewed in May, when a "consultative process with industry stakeholder bodies" will take place to determine whether it will become a feature of the programme in the 2025-26 season.

The series was announced by HRI in July with the intention of "spurring investment and creating further opportunities" by scheduling 60 races, including bumpers, maiden hurdles, beginners' chases and handicap hurdles, which will be restricted to trainers who have had less than 50 jumps winners in either of the last two seasons. It is also set to incorporate a further series of 17 races which identifies opportunities for trainers with defined levels of success over previous seasons.

Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Gavin Cromwell will be prohibited from entering horses in the associated races. As a result, the four affected trainers informed HRI in August of an intention to initiate legal proceedings over the matter.

However, the series seems set to go ahead after a letter was sent out to members of the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association (IRTA) by the organisation's new chief Feidhlim Cunningham, explaining that 17 races under the initiative will take place before it is reviewed.

It read: "After meeting with HRI on the matter it is clear that the process to introduce these races was not up to standard. Furthermore, what HRI is trying to achieve by introducing these races doesn't go any way towards solving the issues confronting National Hunt racing. The proposed series of races achieves nothing for trainers as a whole.

"The HRI board was presented with the letters from stakeholders and has decided that there will be 17 of these restricted races run between January 1 and May 3 2025, which represents the proposed allocation of 60 races in that four-month period. These races were agreed at the fixtures committee meeting and will be published shortly.

"There is not to be another restricted race run thereafter until there is a full consultation with all stakeholders about how best to move forward for the 2025-26 season. Everything is on the table for discussion."

HRI has confirmed that a "consultative process" is scheduled prior to the start of next season which will identify the best way forward for the programme.

A HRI spokesperson said: "HRI has listened to concerns regarding the series and will engage in a consultative process with industry stakeholder bodies in Q1 next year.

"The consultation’s objective is to identify the best route forward to strengthen and sustain the National Hunt programme, which includes the possibility of a 60 restricted race series in 2025 along with other potential initiatives."

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