THREE-YEAR-OLDS TO RUN IN NEWBURY BUMPER Newbury makes history on Wednesday by staging the inaugural bumper open to three-year-olds - the first in a series of six before Christmas.And it looks like being a success judged on the Scarvagh House Stud/EBF `Junior` Standard Open NH Flat race restricted to three and four-year-olds at the Berkshire course.The race over a mile and a half has attracted 23 runners - 15 of whom are three-year-olds - from a 50-strong entry.'It follows on from an equine conference held at Cheltenham racecourse last year when it was shown that starting a horse`s career earlier decreases the risk of injury,' said Stuart Middleton, jump race executive of the British Horseracing Board.'We wanted to have the races for three-year-old but the Thoroughbred Breeders` Association were a little nervous as they thought the races might not get enough entries so we compromised.'Three-year-olds get the same weight-for-age allowance that is given to two-mile hurdlers.The other five race dates, ofwhich the sponsorship is shared by the European Breeders` Fund, the Scarvagh House Stud and Kentford Racing, are: Newcastle (November 25), Warwick (November 26), Exeter (December 6), Ayr (December 9), Newbury (December 18).
