The British division of the European Breeders’ Fund has supported horseracing in mainland Britain by enhancing prize money for over 30 years.
The Fund has contributed over £31.5million in to the sport since 1983 and has a current investment level of around £1.7million per year over both flat and National Hunt racing making the BEBF the third largest sponsor of horseracing in the country.
“The contribution that the British EBF makes to the sport through prize money and sponsorship is tremendous. Of particular value is the support for both fillies and stayers, two areas of the British thoroughbred breed that the industry must invest in, to ensure a healthy and vibrant future as an integral part of the racing programme and to maintain the great diversity that exists within the sport.”
Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
British EBF Premier Fillies’ Handicaps
The British EBF support a number of high value Fillies’ Handicaps across the season from Class 4 to Class 2; the majority being run well above minimum value and match-funded between the EBF and the racecourses.
British Matchbook EBF Future Stayers’ Series
A series of races created in 2015 by the BHA and the British European Breeders’ Fund to boost the stayers’ programme, has been provided with a huge financial boost. Matchbook Betting Exchange have teamed up with the EBF to match the EBF’s prize money contribution and put in place a £100,000 bonus for any winner from the series who goes on to win a Group 1 race over 10 furlongs or more in the UK and Ireland in their three year old year.
The Matchbook EBF Future Stayers’ Series consists of 16 races, all with an increased minimum prize value of £14,000, are open to the progeny of stallions and mares that had won over distances of 10 furlongs or more. The series begins at Yarmouth on August 7 and runs through to Chelmsford on December 13. Each of the races, to be run over at least 7f, will be worth a minimum of £14,000 and the series has a total value of £283,000.
Previous graduates of these races include: four-time Gr.1 winner CRACKSMAN, Weatherby’s Stayers Millions winner STRADIVARIUS; Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Gr.1) winner ROYAL MARINE; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G.1) winner LINE OF DUTY and 2019 Royal Ascot (Gr.2 Queens’ Vase) winner DASHING WILLOUGHBY.
British EBF National Hunt Series 2018/ 19
The British EBF is committed to a comprehensive programme of National Hunt racing. The centre piece of this commitment is the Novice Hurdle Series which carries a total prize fund of £350,000 and culminates in a £75,000 Grade 3 final at Sandown Park.
We also work in conjunction with the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association to support a number of National Hunt mares’ only race series (Hurdle, Chase and NH Flat Race).
Our Trustees
Simon Sweeting (Chairman)
Simon Sweeting took on the lease of Overbury Stud in 2000. He has stood both NH and flat stallions including European Champion First Season Sire Bertolini and 10 times Leading UK based NH Sire Kayf Tara. Recent breeding successes include G1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Cornerstone Lad and dual G2 winner Thyme Hill. In addition to his role as Chairman of the British EBF, he is a Director of Warwick Racecourse.
Emma Berry (Independent)
A racing and bloodstock journalist, Emma is the European editor of Thoroughbred Daily News and served ten years as bloodstock editor of Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder. She has also previously worked as deputy editor of Pacemaker and Horse & Hound, and for Darley at Dalham Hall Stud. A small owner-breeder with two broodmares, she is a member of the TBA and ROA and sits on the BHA Flat Pattern Committee.
Fiona Denniff (Independent)
Fiona bred her first flat thoroughbred in 1999. Since then horses such as: Mary Read, Tiana, Beat the Bank, Kachy, Dubai Hills and Ptolemaic have all been the product of Denniff Farms.
Fiona is a TBA Regional Representative and a member of the TBA Flat Race Planning Committee. She was part of the original committee that organised the inaugural Leger Legends race at Doncaster, and is now part of the Racing Welfare Charity Committee that organise the Clocktower Cup for Stable Staff at Doncaster.
James McHale (Independent)
James was appointed as head of Weatherbys Bloodstock in December 2016. He was founder, and director, of Progeny Stallions Ltd, and has held a number of senior management positions working with high profile clients within the industry.
He has extensive bloodstock knowledge, gaming and betting industry experience, was the top ranked management trainee in 2009 on the Darley Flying Start Programme and Assistant Trainer to Ian Williams.
Gary Middlebrook (Independent)
Gary has served as a Director on a number of Boards including, Haydock Park Racecourse, The National Stud, Lancaster University and Racing Welfare plus a number of SME privately owned companies over the past 30 years.
He is a passionate racehorse owner and breeder, with many successful horses, including Reverence a Champion Sprinter in 2006.
Simon Mockridge (Juddmonte Farms)
In 1981 Simon was initially employed to work at Prince Khalid’s foundation farm Wargrave (formerly and now known as Cayton Park Stud). In 1987 Simon relocated to Newmarket and was promoted to Stud Manager, to help set up the newly purchased Banstead Manor Stud. In 2016 Simon was appointed Stud Director of Juddmonte’s UK farms. Simon holds board roles with the, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (TBA) Veterinary Committee and European Breeders Fund (EBF).
Ed Harper (Whitsbury Manor Stud)
After qualifying as a charted surveyor for Savills in Oxford, Ed completed the National Stud Diploma course in 2009 to reacquaint himself with hands on horse work. He then spent a year in New Zealand at The Oaks Stud in the Waikato region learning all aspects of horse management including foaling and working in a busy covering shed. Ed then returned home to Whitsbury Manor Stud to begin work as Stud Director and who’s first stallion purchase in that role was successful sire Showcasing.
More than 12 years at Whitsbury has flown by with an equal measure of triumphs and disaster. Ed has overseen an increase in the size of the broodmare band and numbers of visiting mares to Whitsbury’s four home stallions. Ed has also been instrumental in a new stallion venture with The National Stud at which Lope Y Fernandez is owned in partnership.
Julian Richmond-Watson (TBA Chairman)
Julian Richmond-Watson currently serves as Chairman of The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. His previous roles include Chairman of Newmarket Racecourses, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, Chairman of BHB Race Planning Committee, Member of the BHB Board, Chairman of the Epsom Race Committee, Director of United Racecourses, and Non-Executive Director of Pure Gym Ltd.
Richmond-Watson owns a stud farm in Northamptonshire and has bred a number of winners including Look Here, the 2008 Epsom Oaks winner.
Claire Sheppard (TBA representative)
Claire Sheppard is Chief Executive of the TBA and responsible for the management of the charity, its finances, membership and staff. Her role involves representing the TBA within the industry, government and internationally, and providing leadership and support to the TBA Chairman and Deputy Chair, and the TBA Committees and Board of Trustees. She is a Director of the British Horse Council and TBA nominee on the BHA Executive Committee, Fixture and Funding Group and Public Affairs Committees, Horsemen’s Group, EFTBA, ITBF and All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Horse.
