Written 2 months ago by Will O'Callaghan

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The Cheltenham Festival can never come soon enough for jump racing fans and from next March the final festival fields will come sooner than ever before after the British Horseracing Authority announced the introduction of 48-hour declarations throughout the sport’s biggest meeting, a move greeted with widespread acclaim.

Britain’s two leading trainers, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls, both gave their backing to the introduction of 48-hour festival declarations, which had previously been in place only for the fixture’s non-novice Grade 1 contests.

In an attempt to avoid uncertainty and confusion, horses can in future be declared only for a single festival race, whether subsequently a non-runner or not, unless eliminated from their chosen target or declared as a reserve.

That will apply to all contests, except the major championship prizes, namely the Stan James Champion Hurdle, OLBG David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Sunbets Stayers’ Hurdle and Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

However, the BHA will monitor the extent to which horses are doubly declared in those six crown jewels and keep the concession to trainers and owners under annual review.

Image – Matt Cardy/Getty Images Europe

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