Minimum prize-money levels up, six furlongs earlier and nursery tweaks - two-year-old programme changes for 2026 in Britain explained

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The BHA this week announced a series of refinements to the two-year-old programme for 2026 aimed at improving competitiveness, field sizes and prize-money across novice, maiden and nursery races.

The changes follow a detailed review of the 2025 season and have been developed in consultation with the National Trainers Federation. Their impact will be monitored throughout 2026 before plans are finalised for 2027.

So, what are the changes?

Prize-money levels up

Minimum prize-money levels will rise across the juvenile programme with no open novice or maiden to be run for less than £10,000, while restricted races will be for a minimum of £8,000.

Additional boosts will apply over staying trips, with two-year-old races at seven furlongs and beyond worth at least £12,000 and three-year-old contests at a mile and a quarter or further set at a minimum of £10,000.

Gstaad: won the Cartier two-year-old colt of the yearCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Earlier races over six furlongs

One of the most notable changes to the spring programme will see races over six furlongs begin during the week commencing April 20.

This brings those contests forward by three weeks compared with 2025, responding to trainer feedback seeking earlier opportunities beyond the minimum trip.

The spring schedule will also feature a higher proportion of restricted races over five and six furlongs, with a corresponding reduction in open races.

Nursery races reshaped with earlier access

With juvenile numbers in training below previous levels, many nurseries suffered from small fields this year.

In response, the BHA will consolidate the nursery programme in 2026, reducing the range of rating bands and slightly lowering the number of races. This has been designed to deliver a much more customer-appealing programme of races.

Eligibility rules will also be adjusted to allow some horses to run in nursery contests earlier in their careers. A British-trained two-year-old who has run twice will be eligible for a Class 4, 5 or 6 nursery if it finishes in the first four on both starts; or it wins on its second start after finishing unplaced on debut and is allotted a mark of 80 or lower (previously 77).

Other changes to note

The 2026 turf programme will consist of 60 per cent novice races and 40 per cent maidens, with 62 per cent run as open races and 38 per cent restricted.

During September and October, developmental races on turf will revert to an 80 per cent open format. Restricted opportunities on turf will be limited in that period, although a full programme will remain in place on the all-weather. 

To allow flexibility in the event of unsuitable ground, a number of blank races will be included in the programme book at all-weather fixtures in September and October.

What's the view of trainers?

Charlie Johnston, who has won with 22 of the 52 two-year-olds he has raced in 2025, welcomed some of the changes. 

He said: "Earlier this year I wrote in the Kingsley Klarion [Johnston Racing's magazine], that I thought it was madness if you compared our programme to Ireland's, that the six- and seven-furlong races for two-year-olds were starting a month before us.

"With six or seven weeks of purely five-furlong races it's no surprise that those are generally poorly populated and uncompetitive, because there's only a small portion of horses who are really bred to excel at that distance early on. 

"The change is a positive step, but I would have probably gone even further and brought the first seven-furlong races forward a good bit as well."

Charlie Johnston: "The change is a positive step, but I would have probably gone even further"Credit: Edward Whitaker

On the changes to prize-money, Johnston added: "We're quick to bang the drum about prize-money, but when there's a positive change it should be welcomed. I don't want to sound too negative, but it's pretty embarrassing at this time of year to have a horse run in a novice at Newcastle worth just over £3,000 to the winner. 

"You want to incentivise people to be buying the best of our stock at the yearling sales, but when there are 0-65 handicaps worth more than some two-year-old and novice races, then that's absolutely bonkers. But the change is a small step in the right direction."

Paul Johnson, the chief executive of the NTF, said: "I think that the previously announced changes to the minimum values of novice and maiden races under both codes is a significant change to the programme that will strengthen it. These are smaller changes to the programme, but ones which will all help the programme serve its purpose better. There remains a concern over prize-money more widely, and we continue to work on industry projects to improve this."

On the earlier start to six-furlong races and the changes to the eligibility of runners in nurseries, Johnson added: "In recent years the BHA and NTF have worked closely together on matters concerning the race programme. The NTF Flat Racing Committee met with the BHA in recent months to discuss this area, and these were two parts of the programme that we agreed would benefit from some tweaks."

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