Royal rehearsal: new Yarmouth two-year-old race after EBF and Arena sign deal

Yarmouth will stage a new event designed to attract Royal Ascot-bound juveniles after the track's owner Arena agreed a deal with the British arm of the European Breeders' Fund.

The agreement between the two organisations, which will be officially announced on Wednesday, will lead to a pair of two-year-old contests being added to the calendar, with the other one being staged at Newcastle.

Yarmouth's contest, a £15,000 Class 3 event over six furlongs, will take place on Wednesday, May 23, with a view to providing a stepping stone to targets at the royal meeting a month later.

"This will provide a useful opportunity for two-year-olds to gain race experience before Royal Ascot," said trainer John Gosden. "After all the remedial work the turf at Great Yarmouth is some of the best in the country and it's an ideal track for a young horse."

What is the EBF?

• Formed in 1983 by breeders and stallion owners in response to dwindling prize-money
• Funded almost entirely by contributions from stallion owners
• Bids to protect and introduce races for the benefit of the breed
• Stallion owners nominate their horses into the scheme, which means their resultant progeny are also enrolled
• £33.1 million allocated to British racing since its inception
• More than 80 per cent of two-year-olds races in EBF-member countries are confined to EBF-eligible horses
• EBF also supports veterinary research projects in order to benefit the racing and breeding industries

As well as the Yarmouth contest, the EBF and Arc partnership will mean the introduction of a sire-dam restricted £10,000 Class 4 race for juveniles at Newcastle on November 30, something British EBF chairman Philip Mitchell said came about following consultation with trainers.

"The trustees are delighted that Arc has worked so closely with the British EBF executive to bring these significant advancements to the race programme and funding to fruition," said Mitchell.

"Of particular significance are the additions to the two-year-old programme, the maiden races at Yarmouth and Newcastle, which have been fashioned in direct response to feedback and requests from trainers."

'Significant long-term benefit'

The partnership between Arc and the EBF will also lead to the prize fund for Yarmouth's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF John Musker Stakes being increased to £50,000 through mutual match funding, while Windsor's Listed August Stakes will boast a £40,000 purse as a result of British EBF support.

Doncaster's William Hill St Leger meeting will also receive a boost, picking up a sire-dam restricted Class 3 maiden over a mile designed to identify staying talent of the future.

"The new sire-dam restricted race at Doncaster complements a race meeting which celebrates the staying horse and forms part of the British EBF-funded initiative to encourage late-season opportunities for two-year olds by 'staying stallions'," said Mitchell.

"If one day we see a future St Leger winner graduate via this race we'll know we're well on the way to the revitalisation of this area of the race programme."

Arc chief executive Martin Cruddace said the British EBF played a valuable role in the industry and spoke of his pleasure at bolstering the partnership between it and his own organisation.

He said: "By formalising our partnership we're providing the basis on which Arc and the British EBF can develop over investment in the race programme, which is of significant long-term benefit to the sport.

"We look forward to seeing how the new races perform and hope they will be well supported."

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