With temperatures set to peak later in the day, the fixture will now begin at 10:30 instead of 14:39. Races will be held at 30-minute intervals, with the final race taking place at 13:00 instead of 17:17.

Only one race at the fixture will be permitted to divide (down from two), and if there is a division the additional race will be held at 10:00.

The running order has also been adjustedÌýto allow the longer races to take place earlier in the card.

The decision to move this fixture earlier in the day has been made in conjunction with Worcester to support the welfare of all equine and human participants.

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â will continue to liaise with racecourses hosting fixtures in the coming days to consider any mitigations that may be necessary to reduce the risk of heat stress to horses and humans servicing the fixture in accordance with theÌý.

Each fixture will be managed on a case-by-case basis, considering several factors including the local weather forecast.

Further updates to fixtures taking place this week will be issued as necessary in due course.

Again, our sincere thanks to Mel and Phil Rowley for their prompt action to spot the signs of infection, test the horse and report the findings.

And our thanks to the wider training community for the cooperation, engagement and responsible action shown during a challenging situation.

Tracing horses and determining risk

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â has been working through a process of tracing the horses that travelled on the same lorry as the infected horse, and other horses that were purchased at the Goffs Sales that have been transported to Britain.

Through this process we have been able to identify the training yards at potential risk and eliminate those that are at minimal or no risk.

This work has given us increased confidence that there are very few yards at heightened risk of exposure to the virus. This is principally due to the vigilance shown by trainers in ensuring that horses are isolated from their established herd.

Managing risk and testing runners

Where we have identified horses that may present an increased risk, we are dealing with these on a case-by-case basis and according to the individual circumstances and the isolation measures that are in place.

There are a small number of instances where yards that are at a slightly higher level of risk of exposure to the virus hold or have held race entries in the coming week.

These horses have either been withdrawn from the race in which they were entered out of an abundance of caution, or the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â has required the yard to undertake targeted PCR testing to be satisfied there is no risk of spreading the virus.

We feel this is the right approach, primarily due our vaccination regime and the protection this affords, but also because of the high standard of biosecurity measures that trainers have in place.

This is an approach that has been informed and endorsed by independent infectious disease experts, including Dr Richard Newton, and is supported by the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s veterinary group, which includes stakeholder and independent representatives.

Monitoring and continued vigilance

We will continue to monitor this situation closely and work with stakeholders and industry participants to ensure that we are applying sensible, proportionate and effective biosecurity measures to stop the virus spreading.

We urge everyone in British racing to be particularly vigilant during the period of heightened risk. Please continue to follow best practice infection control advice below, especially around vaccinations and avoiding any mixing of horses from licensed and non-licensed premises.

This is how we protect the thoroughbred racing herd and ensure that racing continues without interruption.

Thank you again for your cooperation and support as we work together to protect British racing and the thoroughbred herd.

Advice for yards on reducing your risk

(i) Vaccination

Vaccination remains one of the best protections our horses have against equine influenza. It reduces the likelihood and severity of illness, and if a horse does become infected, helps limit the spread of infection.

All horses racing in Britain must be vaccinated in line with theÌý, with booster vaccinations administered no more than six months apart.

(ii) Isolating new arrivalsÌý

Despite the benefits of vaccination, it is essential that we prevent any exposure to sick horses or those shedding the virus. This is how we keep our horses healthy and ensure that racing can continue without interruption.

All new horses entering licensed yards, from the sales, pre-training yards or elsewhere, must be isolated for a minimum of 14 days and monitored closely during this period for any signs of infection.

A substantial proportion of the outbreaks we have seen in the non-thoroughbred population in recent months involve horses that have recently moved premises.

(iii) Biosecurity measures

We also advise extra vigilance around general biosecurity on yards. Equine flu is highly contagious, can be airborne over reasonable distances and can be transmitted indirectly via people.

Please remind your staff about your yard’s hygiene measures, including regular hand washing, using designated equipment and disinfecting any shared equipment.

To help, we have developed a simpleÌý, which can be downloaded and shared with your teams and displayed on your yard.

(iv) Spotting signs of equine flu

Please also be alert to the signs of the virus and monitor all horses daily. These include a raised temperature (above 38.5°C), a harsh cough or nasal discharge, and also things like lethargy and poor performance or loss of appetite.

Rectal temperatures of horses should be recorded every day and any horse showing signs of infection should be assessed immediately by your veterinary surgeon.ÌýIf a horse is showing these signs or you have any concerns about their wellbeing, please consult your veterinary surgeon right away.

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â has worked with the horse transportation companies and identified the thoroughbreds that travelled to Britain alongside the infected horse. We have also contacted all licensed trainers and their representatives who we know to have purchased or received a horse from the Arkle sale to provide further information and advice.

Through this engagement, we have reason to believe that horses at Goffs last week are at increased risk of having been exposed to the virus and therefore urge trainers to take every precaution.

Please be particularly vigilant around biosecurity measures and ensure that any horses purchased or received from the Arkle sale – as with any new horse into your yard, from the sales, pre-training or elsewhere – are:

• Fully vaccinated and isolated for a period of at least 14 days. This is the only way you can be confident they are healthy and disease free before mixing with your established horses.
• Monitored daily for any signs of infection. These include a raised temperature (above 38.5°C), a harsh cough or nasal discharge. Also, things like lethargy or loss of appetite.

At the same time, please ensure that all horses already in your yard are fully vaccinated in line with the . This gives them the best possible protection against the virus.

If trainers are concerned about any signs, either in the horses that are in isolation or in your established herd, then please contact your veterinary surgeon immediately and notify the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â about any potential or confirmed case.

Any horse that is exhibiting clinical signs can be tested for free via the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s flu surveillance scheme. More details about this are availableÌý.

If you have any immediate questions or have , please don’t hesitate to contact equine@britishhorseracing.com. Otherwise, we are urging extra vigilance and trainers and teams to follow the infection control that we shared earlier this week.

The horse arrived at the yard on 12 June from the Goffs Arkle Sale in Kildare Paddocks, which took place between 9 and 11 June.

We have been advised that the infected horse was transported to Britain on the same lorry as eight other thoroughbreds purchased at the sales.ÌýThese horses have been taken to a mix of licensed yards, pre-training yards and other premises.

The following update has been developed with the advice and input of independent infection control expert, Dr Richard Newton, and sets out important information for racehorse trainers, pre-trainers and other industry personnel, including:

• What we currently know about the situation
• Advice for those who purchased horses from the Goffs Arkle sale
• How all racing yards can reduce your risk of infection.

Confirmed case in Shropshire

We are very grateful to Mel and Phil Rowley for their prompt action to spot the signs of infection, ensure the horse was tested and report the findings to Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance.

The infected horse arrived at the isolation yard on 12 June and at that point was not exhibiting any clinical signs of the virus. These developed late Saturday evening and subsequent testing confirmed the infection.

The horse had been and remains in isolation, in line with the recommended infection control measures for any new horse entering licensed premises. No horses will be permitted to move to or from the yard or the licensed premises until we are confident that there is no wider risk to the industry.

The yard did have a runner at Uttoxeter on Saturday 13 June, but due to the biosecurity measures in place, the risk of any onward contamination is very low.ÌýNevertheless, we ask that trainers who had runners at Uttoxeter on Saturday are particularly alert to the signs of flu in the horses that competed at the meeting.

Horses that travelled together from Ireland

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â has worked with the horse transportation companies and identified the thoroughbreds that travelled to Britain alongside the infected horse.

We have contacted the owners and those responsible for these horses to advise on the most appropriate course of action, including testing.

Horses purchased at the Arkle Sale

As a precautionary measure, we are urging all trainers who purchased horses at the Arkle Sale between 9 and 11 June to ensure that:

• ´¡²Ô²âÌýnew horseÌýbrought into your yard is fully vaccinated and properly isolated for a period of at least 14 days so that you can be confident they are healthy and disease-free before mixing with your established horses
• All horses in your yard already are fully vaccinated in line with the Rules of Racing. This gives them the best possible protection against the virus.
• You monitor both isolated and established horses daily for signs of infection. These include a raised temperature (above 38.5°C), a harsh cough or nasal discharge. Also, things like lethargy, poor performance or loss of appetite.
• If you are concerned about any of these signs, contact your veterinary surgeon and advise the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â immediately about any potential or confirmed case.

Advice for yards on reducing your risk

(i) Vaccination

Vaccination remains one of the best protections our horses have against equine influenza. It reduces the likelihood and severity of illness, and if a horse does become infected, helps limit the spread of infection.

All horses racing in Britain must be vaccinated in line with theÌý, with booster vaccinations administered no more than six months apart.

(ii) Isolating new arrivalsÌý

Despite the benefits of vaccination, it is essential that we prevent any exposure to sick horses or those shedding the virus. This is how we keep our horses healthy and ensure that racing can continue without interruption.

All new horses entering licensed yards, from the sales, pre-training yards or elsewhere, must be isolated for a minimum of 14 days and monitored closely during this period for any signs of infection.

A substantial proportion of the outbreaks we have seen in the non-thoroughbred population in recent months involve horses that have recently moved premises.

(iii) Biosecurity measures

We also advise extra vigilance around general biosecurity on yards. Equine flu is highly contagious, can be airborne over reasonable distances and can be transmitted indirectly via people.

Please remind your staff about your yard’s hygiene measures, including regular hand washing, using designated equipment and disinfecting any shared equipment.

To help, we have developed a simpleÌý, which can be downloaded and shared with your teams and displayed on your yard.

(iv) Spotting signs of equine flu

Please also be alert to the signs of the virus and monitor all horses daily. These include a raised temperature (above 38.5°C), a harsh cough or nasal discharge, and also things like lethargy and poor performance or loss of appetite.

Rectal temperatures of horses should be recorded every day and any horse showing signs of infection should be assessed immediately by your veterinary surgeon.ÌýIf a horse is showing these signs or you have any concerns about their wellbeing, please consult your veterinary surgeon right away.

More information and next steps

We have developed several resources for yards to help reduce your risk and protect the thoroughbred racing herd from equine influenza.

You can read the latest adviceÌýhereÌýon the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â website. We also produced aÌýblog, which summarises the key guidance, alongside thisÌýÌýand Q&AÌýÌýfor racing staff.

The Equine Infectious Disease SurveillanceÌýÌýprovides links to resources for veterinary professionals, including the EIDS disease reporting platform, the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) flu surveillance scheme and Equiflunet.

We continue to monitor this situation closely, working with EIDS and independent infectious disease experts, and will keep the British horseracing industry updated.

For any immediate questions, please contact:Ìýequine@britishhorseracing.com.

The fixture will be run as a seven-race card with a total prize fund of £65,000.

This follows the Jockey Club’s announcement earlier this week that Haydock’s next four fixtures have been abandoned, one of which was scheduled on this date.

Haydock’s other three fixtures have already been transferred to the following venues:

• Saturday 20 June – Nottingham
• Thursday 2 July – Nottingham
• Saturday 4 July – Newmarket

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â is grateful to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for its contribution to the funding of prize money for this additional meeting, and to Chepstow for agreeing to host.

The revised rules and regulations reflect best safeguarding practice and include a range of practical measures to support racing’s workforce.

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â first introduced safeguarding regulations for British racing in 2019, which were reviewed and amended in February 2022, prior to the publication of the industry’s Safeguarding and Human Welfare strategy in December 2023.

The latest updates continue our progression in this area. The key changes that will be in place from Tuesday 9 June include:

• The creation of a Safeguarding Case Management Group, with independent representation, to provide scrutiny and challenge to »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â-led decisions relating to safeguarding.
• The addition of a mandatory reporting duty which requires safeguarding concerns involving under 18s to be reported to the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â. This will enable the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s safeguarding team to provide additional support with cases where necessary and help build an overall picture of risk across the sport, helping to identify potential trends or patterns of behaviour. Further guidance to explain and support theÌýmandatory reporting process can be foundÌý.
• The ability to impose risk management measures on individuals when they present a clear and obvious safeguarding risk. This measure will be reserved for more serious cases and can be appealed to the Judicial Panel.
• A new safeguarding-specific section in theÌýÌý(Chapter M), ensuring all Rules are in one place to make it easier for participants to access what they need.

The changes follow engagement with stakeholders, and the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â will continue this work to support the implementation process through training and specialised guidance.

Matt Mancini, »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â Head of Safeguarding and Human Welfare, said:

“These updated measures are fundamentally about protecting and supporting our people, ensuring that British racing is a safe environment for everyone involved. They reflect our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest possible standards across the sport.

“We recognise that effective safeguarding relies not just on regulation, but on education, understanding and shared responsibility among those working in the sport. We will be working closely with participants and stakeholders across the industry to help them understand the changes and support their successful introduction.

“By continuing to strengthen our work in this important area, we are ensuring that racing remains a safe, respectful and inclusive place to work for all.�

Implementing revised safeguarding regulations was one of the priorities listed in the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s Safeguarding and Human WelfareÌý.

Several other areas have also been introduced or improved following the publication of the strategy in December 2023, including:

• New mandatory online education programmes have been developed for all participants, as well as improved in-person training
• Specialist Safeguarding and Human Welfare Practitioners have been recruited to the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â safeguarding team, bolstering the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s capabilities in this important area
• Improved reporting through theÌýstrengthenedÌýRaceWISEÌýservice, which has recently been expanded to include two-way anonymous communication via WhatsApp and text messaging
• A successful pilot of DBS checks for certain licensed personnel, which will start to be rolled out more widely in the coming weeks

Notes to editors:

1. The updated »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â Safeguarding Policy can be foundÌý.

2. The updated safeguarding regulations have been incorporated into the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿âÌý.

3. Guidance on mandatory reporting can be foundÌý.

4. For further information or assistance, please contactÌýsafeguarding@britishhorseracing.com.

Currently, a rider whose mount is withdrawn after the jockey booking deadline receives a non‑runner payment worth half a riding fee and may still be substituted onto another horse in the race, resulting in them receiving one and a half riding fees, while the displaced rider receives no payment.

Additionally, when a horse is declared a non‑runner because its originally booked jockey becomes unavailable – through injury or inability to make the weight – the non‑runner still triggers a payment to that rider.

To resolve these anomalies, the Fee Code will be updated so that jockeys will continue to receive the standard non‑runner fee unless they are substituted onto another horse in the same race, in which case the non‑runner fee will transfer to the displaced jockey.

In addition, a non‑runner fee will not be payable where the horse’s withdrawal is a direct result of a jockey becoming unavailable and no suitable replacement is able to be found.

This Rule amendment does not result in any change to the overall jockey riding fees agreed annually by the Racehorse Owners Association and PJA.

Changes to Paragraph 16 of the have been approved by the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â Board and will be updated on Monday 8 June.

Martin will remain as part of the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s handicapping team but has elected to relinquish his leadership position on medical advice.

His successor as Steeplechase Team Leader will be announced in due course.

Martin has worked as a handicapper with the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â since January 2003, serving almost 20 years of that time in a senior leadership position. He has been responsible for the handicapping of the last eight Grand Nationals, having taken over following the retirement of his predecessor Phil Smith.

Martin Greenwood said: “Following a health scare in 2025, I have taken the advice of my doctor and decided it is the right time for me to take a step back from leading the team responsible for handicapping the chasing division.

“It is a position I have been very proud to have held and it has been a great honour to play a part in the world’s greatest race, the Grand National, over the last eight years. I would like to thank everyone at The Jockey Club and Aintree, with whom I have enjoyed many wonderful days, for their support during my time handicapping the race.

“I would also like to thank my colleagues at the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â, in particular Dominic Gardiner-Hill and Richard Wayman, for their assistance in recent months as I came to this decision. I am looking forward to continuing as part of the handicapping team, as it remains something I enjoy very much, as well as to providing whatever support I can to my successor in the coming months.â€�

»ÆÉ«²Ö¿â Head of Handicapping, Dominic Gardiner-Hill, said: “This move is something we have been discussing with Martin in recent months and I fully support his decision. There is nothing more important in life than our health and it is right that he is doing what is best for him and his family.

“On behalf of all of us at the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â, I would like to thank Martin for his many years of dedicated hard work with the staying chasers and, in particular, his work on the Grand National since taking over from Phil Smith eight years ago. The race remains one of the great spectacles in all of sport and Martin has played a key role in ensuring that is the case.

“We are delighted that Martin is not leaving the team, ensuring that our handicappers, the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â and British racing as a whole, are not losing his vast experience and knowledge.â€�

The seven-furlong contest was originally scheduled to take place at Chelmsford City on Sunday 5 July. As announced last week, that fixture will no longer go ahead at Chelmsford, which meant a new venue was required for the Queen Charlotte.

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â is grateful to Chester for agreeing to host the race alongside their existing card, and to the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) for their contribution to the total prize fund, which remains at £60,000.

The fixture on Thursday 18 June has moved to Yarmouth, while the following meeting on Sunday 5 July will be held at Southwell.

The race programme for the fixture on 18 June will remain the same. There will be the following tweaks to the programme on 5 July:

• The Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes (Listed) will be replaced with a 1m 3yo Class 5 Handicap
• The 4yo+ Class 4 1m 2f Handicap will now be staged over 1m 3f
• The 3yo+ Class 5 1m 5f 66y Handicap will now be staged over 1m 6f

A new date and venue for the Queen Charlotte will be confirmed next week.

Golden Mile Racing Limited (GMRL), the new company formed to operate CCR, is not currently licensed by the »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â to stage any fixture. This means that no further fixtures will be staged at CCR pending the outcome of any appeal process.

The »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s racing department will continue to work with the National Trainers Federation, trainers, owners and other stakeholders to provide sufficient opportunities for horses within the race programme.