BHA expands Stewards’ power to declare non-runners

New rule changes brought to UK racing will allow stewards to declare “a non-runner in any race beginning from the starting stalls.”

The rule will be implemented from 1 May 2024 onwards, granting extended powers to race stewards to decide whether a participating horse has “been denied a fair start”.

Granted by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), stewards will be allowed to judge “situations where a horse has been prevented from starting on equal terms and its chances in a race have been materially affected as a consequence.”

Under the existing rules, a horse can only be declared a non-runner if it has been prevented from starting due to a faulty action of the starting stalls or if it is riderless at the off.

The BHA has implemented the rule to align British racing fixture practices with the rules of other major racing nations, adhering to the rulebook of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

The decision follows close engagement with industry stakeholders, including participants and the betting industry, and approval by the BHA Board.

BHA Chief Regulatory Officer, Brant Dunshea, said: “This amendment to the rules will enable British racing to become signatories to the model rule on non-runners of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and therefore see us align with other major racing nations.

“It seeks to provide greater clarity and consistency for all involved and provides a regulatory solution in scenarios where it is deemed that a horse has been denied a fair start due to a situation beyond its own control or that of its rider, not previously covered by the rules.”

Stakeholders were reminded that “use of the updated rule will be at the discretion of the BHA stewards” and can be applied to malfunctions, faulty equipment, or scenarios that may impact the start of a race fixture.

The changes on non-runners and enhanced powers of stewards have been applied by the BHA, updating Rule-6 of the ‘Rules of Racing’.

Dunshea concluded: “While we don’t expect this rule to be required very often, we hope that extending the stewards’ power in this area – something we have discussed at length with industry stakeholders prior to implementation – is a positive development for participants and bettors.”