Matchbook’s £100,000 bonus boosts EBF race series to further enhance the stayers’ programme

Thu 16 May 2019

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.      

Matchbook EBF Media Pack 2019

Philip Mitchell, Chairman of the EBF said:

“The bonus is eminently winnable – if it had been in place in the 2016 season for example, Cracksman would have been the first recipient. He won an EBF sire/dam restricted race at Newmarket towards the end of the 2016 season and then went on to win the Champions’ Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot over 1m2f at the end of his three-year-old career.”           

Matchbook CEO Mark Brosnan said:                                                                     

“Matchbook are extremely passionate about the future of horse racing and we want our sponsorships to make a difference, whilst also providing exposure for our brand. We are incredibly excited to partner with the EBF on this innovative initiative, which we believe supports the grassroots of the sport. Horses like Stradivarius and Dee Ex Bee exemplify how this series provides an insight into the staying stars of the future.”

Charlie Appleby, Trainer of Line Of Duty, a star graduate of The Matchbook EBF Future Stayers’ Series, said:

 “It is fantastic to see the EBF supporting and promoting a better programme for middle distance and future staying type horses. The sire/dam restricted races are a great initiative and provide an excellent platform for potential top class horses of this type.”

Appleby hoping Line Of Duty can follow Masar and win Investec Derby

Wed 8 May 2019

LINE OF DUTY wins EBF Sire/ Dam Restricted race at Goodwood 2018

Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is hoping Line Of Duty can emulate stablemate Masar by winning the 2019 £1.5 million G1 Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 1, Investec Derby Day and day two of the Investec Derby Festival.

One of British racing’s greatest supporters, Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation has enjoyed G1 and Classic success all over the world, with such winners in 12 countries. Despite its position as a racing powerhouse with approaching 5,500 wins since inception in 1992, until 2018, the Investec Derby, Britain’s richest race, had eluded “the boys in blue”.

Speaking yesterday during a media visit organised by Epsom Downs Racecourse at Moulton Paddock Stables in Newmarket, Appleby said: “Winning the Derby has been the highest point of my career, and for Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed to do it in the blue colours was a dream.

“We all know how much Sheikh Mohammad puts into the sport. When I stood here six years ago when I started training and people asked me what my goals and ambitions were, obviously to win the Derby was on the agenda and it was fantastic to do that with Masar last year.”

LINE OF DUTY won one of the extremely successful British EBF supported Sire/ Dam Restricted two-year-old races in 2018 at Goodwood.  Having raced twice previously, this was the first win for the son of Galileo in a hat-trick of victories that saw him progress via a French Gr.3 to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at the end of the season.

Line Of Duty will trial for the Derby in next week’s Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante at York, and Appleby said: “Masar and Line Of Duty have a similar profile in their two-year-old careers and in fact Line Of Duty came up with a better record than Masar, albeit Masar was unlucky at Del Mar.

“You want a horse with experience coming into the Derby and we feel Line Of Duty has that and we’re very pleased with him.”

Line Of Duty is 16-1 for the Derby in a market topped at 9-2 by last year’s unbeaten two-year-old star Too Darn Hot, who missed the 2,000 Guineas due to a splint and is too set to go instead for the Dante next Thursday.