EBF announces reduced two-year-old nomination fee for 2020

The European Breeders Fund has announced it has reduced the cost of nominating a two-year-old to $4,500 from $6,000 for 2020. The deadline for registering at this fee has also been extended to August 31 or prior to entry in an EBF race.

This nomination stage applies to those two-year-olds who are by a sire not registered to the EBF, and standing outside of Europe and not nominated at the previous deadlines.

The EBF member countries have been supporting racing during the current crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with a total of €5.1 million being contributed directly to prize-money.

The British EBF is sustaining its prize-money allocation at £1.68m, with the Irish EBF increasing its prize-money allocation to €2.5m for 2020. The French EBF (FEE) is also using additional funds where appropriate to boost prize-money.

Chief executive Kerry Murphy explained: “Given the current challenges that owners are faced with due to the cancellation of racing the EBF committee felt it was appropriate to offer this reduced fee for 2020 only.

"With breeze up sales being delayed and a late start to two-year-old campaigns we felt it important to offer this opportunity to owners, particularly purchasers at the breeze-up sales.

"Whilst the large majority of horses campaigned in Europe are already qualified due to the sire being registered to the EBF, we would not want an owner to be excluded from EBF races and this stage gives them that option. This year will be an all time high of €5.1 million added to prize-money by the EBF.”

The European Breeders Fund is funded by stallion owners throughout Europe, who pay annually to register their stallion to the fund, thereby making the progeny from that year’s coverings qualified for EBF races for life.

The fund has paid out over €130m in added prize-money since 1983.