TRAINER John McConnell has welcomed plans to stage a series of optional claimers on the flat this year.

Popular in the US, optional claimers are best described as a hybrid race - a handicap in which the trainer can reduce the weight due to be carried by a horse in exchange for permitting that horse to be claimed at a price according to values set by Horse Racing Ireland.

Three of them will be trialled in the coming months - a two-year-old maiden at Navan on August 29th, a maiden for three-year-olds and upwards at Bellewstown on October 2nd, and a race for three-year-olds and upwards at Dundalk on October 30th. The races will have a ratings cap to ensure competitive races.

McConnell, one of the more active players in claiming races, said: “I follow optional claimers in Britain - you could call it an addiction - and I think it’s great they are being trialled here. I expect we will support them with runners and look to claim horses if there is something suitable. Sometimes I have been left with horses I have claimed but I have also got new owners through claiming horses. The optional claimers should be interesting.”

A HRI spokesperson said: “Once these races have been run, we will review the performance of the races and how they have been received, and consult with the various stakeholders on their experiences.

Traditional claimers will be unaffected by these three trial races.”

The concept was born out of a meeting between the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association [IRTA] and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board handicappers, and look to deliver on an ambition to get racehorses through the system earlier.

The optional nature refers to the fact that horses declared for those races, and declared to be claimed, receive an allowance.

IRTA chief executive Ryan McElligott said: “This is one of several initiatives embarked upon this season with the aim of bringing horses of similar ability together sooner than had been the case. We have already seen the introduction of some rated maidens, whereby the handicapper allocates a nominal rating based on a first or second run, and they worked well.

“Optional claimers have worked well in other jurisdictions so let’s give them a try.”