British EBF support tops £2 million for first time in boost to prize-money

The British European Breeders’ Fund has announced an increase in contributions to prize-money, bringing their support to £2 million for the first time in the organisation’s 40-year history.

Underlining the importance of the support that the domestic stallion market provides for racing’s prize-money, British EBF chairman Simon Sweeting said: “Britain continues to be recognised for the quality of its stallion market; we stand promising young sires and established producers of champions. The support of all our stallion owners to the British EBF means we can support well over 700 Flat races in 2023 with £1.9 million, our biggest commitment to date.  

"With our National Hunt programmes considered too, the British EBF contribution is over £2 million directly to racing’s prize-money. It is a genuine enhancement of the value of the race programme, with a particular focus on developmental races and projects that protect the diversity of the race programme and, ultimately, the thoroughbred."

Several areas of the programme will benefit from the extra support, including juvenile developmental races, sire/dam restricted two-year-old races and a small series of novice and maidens for three-year-olds.

Rachael Gowland, from the British EBF, outlined specific races where funds would be used to increase prize-money, saying: “Some of our established high-value novice and maiden races at premier fixtures will benefit from extra funding. Our successful sire/dam restricted races will receive a boost as an important cross-industry initiative to encourage the production of quality stayers in Britain. 

"We are also supporting the BHA in special projects to strengthen developmental opportunities in the older horse programme. This is in addition to our longstanding commitments to our high-value fillies’ and mares’ handicaps, designed to retain mares in Great Britain and give them productive targets throughout the season and, of course, our flagship British EBF £100,000 two-year-old series finals founded last year."

The British EBF 2YO Series covers more than 140 qualifying races and culminates in a final for fillies at Goodwood and one for colts and geldings at York, each worth £100,000.  

It aims to support the commercial end of the sales and stallion market by utilising restricted novice and maiden races as qualifiers. A number of these, now supported by longstanding EBF contributor Juddmonte, are to be run at £30,000, making them valuable qualifying targets on the way to the £100,000 finals.

In 2022, David Mensuisier’s €13,000 purchase Munch claimed the fillies’ final at Goodwood; the race went on to produce subsequent Listed Koln-Winterkonigin Trial winner Sirona. The colts' and geldings' final was won by the unbeaten Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Streets Of Gold, a £27,000 Tattersalls Ireland purchase whose spring target is the 2,000 Guineas.  

The race also produced Legend Of Xanadu, who went on to with the Listed Doncaster Stakes at the end of last season.

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