Hereford hunters’ chase off – fingers crossed for Warwick and Wincanton

Today’s meeting at Hereford was called off before the weekend, with the loss of a potentially competitive hunters’ chase.

Now hopes turn to hunters’ chases at Warwick on Wednesday and Wincanton on Thursday, although both meetings are subject to further inspections tomorrow (Tuesday) due to recent snow and rain, and there is more wet weather in the forecast.

Warwick’s Willoughby De Broke Hunters’ Chase has attracted 18 entries, including one from the Bradley Gibbs-trained Highway Jewel, the seven-year-old mare who downed Hazel Hill at Chaddesley Corbett in December. Hazel Hill went on to win the season’s first hunters’ chase, which was held recently at Ludlow.

Wincanton’s Stewart Tory Memorial Hunters’ Chase has received 30 entries, including a number of horses who are also entered at Warwick. Highway Jewel is among them, while other possible contenders include Porlock Bay, who won impressively under trainer/rider Will Biddick (the pair pictured above) at Kimble in November.

Hunters’ chases are currently restricted to professional jockeys, including conditionals, due to Covid restrictions on non-elite sports. In another recent change the first four horses in any hunters’ chase run this season before March 1, rather than the first two horses, gains a step towards qualification for the Cheltenham Festival’s St James’s Place Open Hunters’ Chase. The change also applies to Aintree’s Randox Health Foxhunters’ Chase, although the cut-off date for that race is March 22.

Saturday’s cards at Wetherby and Musselburgh are also set to include a hunters’ chase.