Benefficient: Won the last running of the Jewson as a Grade Two
Cheltenham’s Jewson Novices’ Chase is one of four races to be upgraded to Grade One status in the 2013/14 jumps season.
The two-and-a-half-mile heat is one of three novice events to be reclassified in the top division along with the Mildmay Novices’ Chase and Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, both run at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.
The two-mile Celebration Chase, staged at Sandown on the final day of the season, will also be a Grade One event next year.
Aintree’s two-and-a-half-mile Listed hurdle at the National meeting will now be a Grade Three affair along with November’s Becher Chase at the Merseyside venue.
The Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown and the Ladbroke at Ascot are also lifted to Grade Three status from Listed class.
A further five races have been augmented to Listed level, topped by the four-mile John Oaksey National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Shloer Chase at Cheltenham in November , Carlisle’s Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase in October, the William Hill Hurdle Race at Kempton in October and the John Smith’s Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial at Musselburgh in February will also now carry Listed status.
Ruth Quinn, director of racing at the BHA, said: “The quality within the Jump Pattern remains very high and the success of the races at the top end of the Jumping scale is evident.
“The Jump Racing Committee recently considered a number of applications for upgrade and we’re really pleased to be able to support four races being promoted to Grade One.
“This enhancement will provide further recognition of the quality of races on offer at the season’s flagship events at Cheltenham and Aintree, as well as providing a further boost to the final day of the Jump season at Sandown Park.
“Nine other races were identified as being worthy of promotion to either Grade Three or as new Listed races, which include first black-type Jumping races for both Musselburgh and Carlisle.”