No of runs in NH Flat races

[betlarge]

I always thought there was a limit to the amount of runs a horse could have in NH Flat races (I thought it was three).

Obviously this is not the case as a handful of horses, including the favourite Araucaria, were having their fifth NHF run in yesterday’s mares’ bumper and Mizzurka was having her sixth, spread over two seasons.

Was there a limit? And is there still one?

Mike

[Nick Baker]

There certainly used to be a limit because I remember French Holly not having a run during the season he ran in the Champion Bumper because he was right on the limit and they took him to Punchestown the year before.

[seabird]

……………don’t think it applies in "championship" races.

Colin

[thehorsesmouth]

Think it’s 5 or 6 maybe?

More than 3 anyway.

[apracing]

The usual limit nowadays is four NH Flat races, although it was three when the races were first introduced in the UK. I believe the rise to four was to harmonise the rules between here and Ireland, where the limit was always four.

Certain races in the calendar have specific conditions that permit a horse to have a fifth or even sixth run. Theses are the conditions of entry for the race at Aintree yesterday :

for four, five and six yrs old FILLIES AND MARES only which have not run under any recognised Rules of Racing, except National Hunt Flat races, Irish National Hunt Flat races or French AQPS Flat races.
Horses are not to have run in more than four races, or five races if the fifth run was in the Mares’ Listed National Hunt Flat Race held at Sandown Park on March 13th, 2010

So Mizzurka had the maximum of four runs in standard races, then benefitted from the special conditions applied to the Listed contests at Sandown and Aintree.

Thus producing the ridiculous situation of a NH horse potentially building an entire career around not jumping and then off to the breeding paddocks with Listed status.

AP

[Nick Baker]

I’m glad you cleared that up, as I was sure there was a limit 15 years or so ago. Can horses in Ireland still switch back to bumpers after hurdles runs like they did or has that loophole been closed? I remember Hourigan doing that a lot.

[graysonscolumn]

Certain races in the calendar have specific conditions that permit a horse to have a fifth or even sixth run.

…even a seventh in the case of Refinement, who took in the Champion Bumpers at Cheltenham, Aintree and finally Punchestown before finally exhausting her entitlement.

gc

Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.

[betlarge]

Thanks AP, thought it may be something like that. The scenario of NHF "career" horses does seem ludicrous as it really denigrates the original idea of these races.

Mike

[smallbutmighty]

Thanks for asking this question Mike – I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for the answers everybody.

[betlarge]

It’s a new record!! Band Leader has his EIGHTH run in the bumper at Punchestown tonight.

Mike

[Author]

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