British EBF support tops £2million

Mon 20 Feb 2023

The British European Breeders’ Fund announce an increase in contributions to prize money, bringing their support to £2million for the first time in the organisation’s 40-year history.

Underlining the importance of the support domestic stallion market provides for racing’s prize money, British EBF Chairman Simon Sweeting, said:

“Britain continues to be recognised for the quality of its stallion market: we stand promising young sires and established producers of Champions. The support of all our stallion owners to the British EBF, means we can support well over 700 flat races in 2023 with £1.9million; our biggest commitment to date. With our National Hunt programmes considered too, the British EBF contribution is over £2million, directly to racing’s prize money. It is a genuine enhancement of the value of the race programme, with a particular focus on developmental races and projects that protect the diversity of the race programme and, ultimately the Thoroughbred.”

Several areas of the programme will benefit from the extra support, including juvenile developmental races, Sire/ Dam Restricted 2yo races and a small series of novice and maidens for 3yos.

Rachael Gowland, from the British EBF, outlined specific races where funds would be used to increase prize money:

“Some of our established high-value Novice and Maiden races at premier fixtures will benefit from extra funding. Our successful Sire/ Dam Restricted races will receive a boost as an important cross industry initiative to encourage the production of quality stayers in Britain. We are also supporting the BHA in special projects to strengthen developmental opportunities in the older horse programme.

This is in addition to our longstanding commitments to our high-value fillies’ and mares’ handicaps, designed to retain mares in GB and give them productive targets throughout the season, and of-course, our flagship British EBF £100,000 2yo Series finals founded last year.”

The British EBF 2yo Series, covers over 140 qualifying races and culminates in a final for fillies at Goodwood and one for colts and geldings’ at York, each worth £100,000. It aims to support the commercial end of the sales and stallion market by utilising Restricted Novice and Maiden races as qualifiers. A number of these, now supported by long standing EBF contributor Juddmonte, are to be run at £30,000, making them valuable qualifying targets on the way to the £100,000 finals.

In 2022, David Mensuisier’s 13,000euro purchase MUNCH claimed the fillies’ final at Goodwood; the race went on to produce subsequent Dinger’s Gartencenter Koln-Winterkonigin Trial (Listed) winner SIRONA. The colts’ final was won by the unbeaten Eve Johnson Houghton trained STREETS OF GOLD; a £27,000 Tattersalls Ireland purchase who’s Spring target is the 2,000 Guineas. The race also
produced LEGEND OF XANADU that went on to with the Listed Doncaster Stakes at the end of last season.

Newsells’ NATHANIEL highlighted with British EBF Stallion Special Merit Award

Wed 8 Feb 2023

The British EBF Stallion Special Merit Award recognises British based stallions that reward breeders through value for money, accessibility and performance, without, necessarily, the advantages of large books of mares or the high fees such popularity commands.

The initial list of nominees is drawn from the British EBF supported STALLION FOCUS in the European Bloodstock News.  This feature seeks to highlight milestones and notable performances in the British stallion ranks.  An industry panel then discusses and votes on a short list and winner.

For their achievements in the 2002 flat season, the judging panel chose Newsell’s Park Stud’s NATHANIEL. At a consistently reasonable fee, he offers breeders soundness, durability, pedigree and talent. The sire of ENABLE has now added a Derby winner, DESERT CROWN, to his list of achievements as a stallion as well as maintaining 36% black type winners/ runners strike rate in 2022.  Further Stakes winners last season included: multiple Gr.2 winner QUICKTHORN; Gr.3 winners POPTRONIC and ZECHARIAH and Listed winner NATE THE GREAT.

Panellist Emma Berry wrote in the TDN: “There are few stallions in the world who will ever sire a filly of the calibre of Enable (GB), but the brilliant light of his stud career shines well beyond that obvious beacon.”

The panel pointed his ability to consistently produce quality at an eye-catching fee: “Nathaniel has had to overcome a widely held prejudice against stoutly bred sires that deliver mainly middle-distance and staying horses, but in 2022 he reminded everyone that class and quality are the most important traits that a stallion can transmit, by adding an unbeaten Derby winner in Desert Crown to a roll of honour that already included Enable, one of the best fillies we are likely to see in our lifetime, and other top-class performers such as Channel, God Given and Lady Bowthorpe. He remains excellent value for breeders seeking to produce a top-class athlete at a fee of £15,000 in his 11th consecutive year at Newsells Park Stud.”