U-turn: Arc rethink on prize-money spares ten races from low purses

Arena Racing Company has performed a U-turn after agreeing to invest extra prize-money into a handful of races left short of the amount required to qualify for a funding boost after the first event drew a small field.

In the latest programme book the racecourse operator put only the minimum amount into ten Class 4, 5 and 6 races – six at Wolverhampton, two at Southwell and two at Sedgefield – when an additional £900 would have unlocked £1,600 in incentive and appearance money payments from a central pool.

The first of the ten races at Wolverhampton on Thursday, a 1m11/2f Class 6 handicap, was advertised with a purse of £3,500 but when it attracted only five declarations, after it was reopened, Arc announced it was abandoning the experiment.

Arc racing director Jon Pullin said: "We initially took the decision not to 'unlock' a handful of races to develop a better understanding of the impact of prize-money on field sizes.

"It is accepted this was not about money but helping to explore the impact of prize-money on field sizes. However, we have had feedback from trainers and owners and have decided to now put in the additional funds to unlock [the funding]."

The change of heart did not come in time to increase the prize for Thursday's race at Wolverhampton, which could have been worth £6,000 under the three-year prize-money package designed to bolster the grassroots of the sport, agreed between stakeholders and announced at the start of the year. The next race on Arc's list of ten contests is also at Wolverhampton, on Monday.

BHA head of racing Paul Johnson said: "It was agreed when the appearance money scheme began that a key element was that racecourses would have to contribute their own funds in order to unlock central funding, but that this was not obligatory.

"We have been pleased with the uptake of the scheme in the first two programme books in which 97 per cent of eligible races have unlocked, or are scheduled to unlock, extra funding.

"It’s also worth noting that there is nothing to stop courses increasing prize-money subsequent to the publication of the programme book, or even the racing calendar for that matter."

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com