With two weeks to go until the start of Worcester's 2018 season, which marks the racecourse's 300-year anniversary, Arena Racing Company (“ARC”) is pleased to announce the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series will be returning to Worcester and Southwell Racecourses for 2018.
The series will start on 10 May and be made up of 42 qualifying races ahead of a £30,000 final at Worcester Racecourse on Wednesday 24 October 2018. All races will be run at Classes 4 and 5 except for the £30,000 final which is a Class 2 race.
For 2018 the Final has been boosted by £5,000 and horses will need to finish in the first six in a qualifier to be eligible for the final, as opposed to the first eight as was the case in the inaugural year.
The 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series aims to provide new opportunities for as many horses as possible at the grassroots of the sport.
Executive Director of Worcester Racecourse, Jenny Cheshire, said: “We are really pleased that after a successful first year the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series is returning to Worcester and Southwell Racecourses. Both racecourses offer important racing opportunities for horses at the grassroots of the sport and the series is a valuable element of this by allowing the opportunity to qualify for the £30,000 final in October. We would like to thank 7bets4free for their ongoing support of Worcester and Southwell racecourses and for helping make this series possible.”
Director of Equine Investment Management Limited, owners of 7bets4free.com, Jon Owen, said: “We are really delighted to once again be sponsoring the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series which we hope will continue to make a valuable contribution to the race programme at Worcester and Southwell Racecourses and is popular with our customers.”
National Hunt Trainer, and winner of the 2017 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series final, Ian Williams said: “We were delighted to take home the big prize last year with Psychedelic Rock and look forward to targeting it again. This is a great series for summer racing.”
Below is a full list of the races which make up the 7bets4free.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series:
| Worcester: | |||
| Date | Race Type (Class) | Distance (Mile, Furlong) | Total Prize Fund |
| 10 May | Mares Novice Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 25 May | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 25 May | National Hunt Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 2 June | Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 11 June | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 24 June | Conditional Jockeys Mares Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,400 |
| 24 June | Claimer Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 24 June | Novice Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £4,800 |
| 27 June | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 27 June | Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 4 July | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,600 |
| 9 July | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £4,800 |
| 9 July | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 17 July | Mares Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 17 July | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 26 July | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 26 July | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 31 July | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £4,800 |
| 15 August | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 15 August | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 22 August | Mares Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 22 August | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 22 August | WFA Claimer Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 29 August | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £4,800 |
| 29 August | Juvenile Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 2 September | Conditional Jockeys Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £4,800 |
| 11 September | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 11 September | Mares Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £4,800 |
| 17 September | Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile | £5,200 |
| 28 September | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4 Furlong | £6,300 |
| 11 October | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7 Furlong | £6,300 |
| 11 October | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile | £6,300 |
| 24 October | 7bets4free SERIES FINAL Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £30,000 |
| Southwell: | |||
| 15 May | Novice Hurdle (Class 5) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £4,800 |
| 23 May | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 23 May | Mares National Hunt Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 5 June | National Hunt Maiden Hurdle (Class 5) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £4,800 |
| 5 June | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 12 June | Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 12 June | Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 15 July | Novice Selling Hurdle (Class 4) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 15 July | Mares Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 19 August | Mares Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 1Mile 7Furlong | £6,300 |
| 5 September | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 4Furlong | £6,300 |
| 5 September | Novice Hurdle (Class 4) | 2Mile 7 Furlong | £6,300 |
