British European Breeders’ Fund to contribute over £1.3million in prize money to Flat racing in 2015

Wed 13 May 2015

The British European Breeders’ Fund (BEBF) will contribute in excess of £1.3 million to prize money in Britain in 2015, the largest in the BEBF’s history.  Over 600 flat races around the country will receive BEBF funding throughout the year.

A large proportion of the BEBF’s money will be directed to support conditions races, fillies’ handicaps and Listed races in addition to 80% of two year old maiden races.

Racecourses were invited to tender for additional BEBF funding by increasing their executive contribution.  This has resulted in around 30 races receiving significant boosts to their funds including the most valuable two year old maiden in the country, the British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden at York, now worth £50,000.  There are five valuable fillies nurseries supported including a continuation of sponsorship for the EBF Fillies Nursery at Newmarket on the Saturday of the Dubai Future Champions Festival worth £60,000.  The sprint conditions race at the York May meeting that was instigated by the BEBF and York Racecourse has now been upgraded to Listed status and is upped in value to £40,000.  Today’s British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes (LR) is a new race to the programme for fillies worth £40,000.

The BEBF chairman Philip Freedman commented: “The BEBF is one of the biggest sponsors of British horseracing.  The majority of our funding comes from British stallion owners and currently we have many of the best sires in the world standing here.  The BEBF is a vehicle for the bloodstock industry to support racing in a very direct way.  Types of races we support are selected to provide a stepping stone for horses’ careers and some of these races need protecting.   The aim is to provide tangible support to the right types of races for the breed and we are delighted that the fund is contributing the largest amount in it’s thirty year history in 2015”.

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Note to editors: The European Breeders Fund was established in 1983 and is funded predominantly by contributions from stallion owners in member countries. Over €100,000,000 has now been allocated to the European racing industry by the EBF.