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Racing News |
British European Breeders’ Fund to Increase its Allocation
to EBF Maiden/Novice Races in 2008
04/10/07
Bucking the trend, not for the first time, the BEBF Trustees have agreed to provide a significant boost to prize money available in EBF Maiden/Novice races on the Flat in 2008. The constant worries about the size of the Levy, the Horseracing Betting Levy Board’s allocations to prize money, the public spats involving TV rights and threats to the future funding of British racing, have provided gloomy reading particularly for breeders and consignors of bloodstock. Therefore, this move by the Trustees will provide some welcome relief.
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Details of the increases are contained in the attached sheets. It must
be stressed that EBF prize money in two-year-old maiden/novice races
cannot be used to achieve the minimum values, but must, at the very least,
be added to minimum values. The 96% increase in the BEBF allocation to
these races brings the amount to over £525,000. Please note that
97.9% of the two-year-olds in training in 2007 are EBF eligible – and
this percentage figure has been pretty consistent over the previous 11
years (please see below).
The increased allocations to the maiden/novice level of EBF races will be just one part of the BEBF’s commitment to prize money on the Flat in 2008. As in 2007, the BEBF will provide prize money on the Flat in 2008 for:
EBF Fillies Nurseries (3) for a total of £38,000
EBF Fillies/Mares Handicaps (30) for a total of £115,500
EBF Classified Races (4) for a total of £15,950
EBF Fillies/Mares Listed Races (25) for a total of £219,500
EBF Feature Races (13) for a total of £43,500
EBF 2YO MAIDEN/NOVICE RACES (299) for a total of £525,955
TOTAL: £958,405
It is likely that the Trustees will be asked to support a few more Fillies’/Mares
Handicaps. There are bound to be minor adjustments to the programme for
2008, but BEBF’s allocation to the Flat could reach £1million.
That is not bad for a scheme which was launched in 1983, has already
provided well over £20 million in prize money and breeders’ prizes,
and was described by the then Home Secretary, later Viscount Whitelaw,
as “a splendid example of self-help”. A masterful understatement.
David Brown, Chairman of the BEBF Trustees, commented: “My fellow Trustees enthusiastically endorse the significant increase to the EBF maiden/novice races.
“I do not think any part of the racing/breeding business will look on this as anything but good for all concerned. Difficult times lie ahead, but I hope that our ability to provide some good news will give a boost, at least, to the forthcoming yearling sales.
“The Trustees felt that it was vital at this time to encourage
racehorse ownership which can only be a benefit to all breeders.
“It is all down to the support from stallion owners, mare owners and those who make EBF eligibility payments for young stock sired outside Europe.
“I should add that we receive remarkable co-operation from racecourses, and from BHA’s Race Planning Department whose advice and assistance is invaluable.”
BEBF ALLOCATIONS TO 2 YEAR OLD MAIDEN/NOVICE RACES 2008
1. The significant reduction in the HBLB prize money scheme in 2008 has resulted in reductions in minimum values in Class 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 two-year-old races. The details are:
Class 3 reduces from £9,700 to £9,200 (i.e. -£500)
Class 4 reduces from £6,000 to £5,400 (i.e. -£600)
Class 5 reduces from £4,350 to £3,600 (i.e. -£750)
Class 6 reduces from £3,000 to £2,600 (i.e. -£400)
2. BEBF maiden/novice 2-year-old races total 299 (not including divisions
or one Charity race) in 2007. This is 67% or so of the total number of
maiden/novice races. The percentage increases to just over 70% when the
large number of EBF divided races are included. I understand that there
are no plans to introduce more 2-year-old maidens in 2008, except perhaps
a few later in the year on all-weather tracks.
3. The breakdown of EBF maidens (not including divisions) in 2007 is:
Class 3 12 races
Class 4 116 races
Class 5 158 races
Class 6 13 races
4. It seems fairest to treat the Class 5 races more beneficially than
the others, firstly because they have been hardest hit, and secondly
because they represent well over 50% of EBF maidens.
5. On a Class by Class basis, I recommend the following:
Class 3: all 12 races to receive a further £500, in addition to existing EBF support: cost: £6,000
Class 4: all 116 races to receive a further £750, in addition to existing EBF support: cost: £87,000
Class 5: all 158 races to receive a further £1,000, in addition to existing EBF support: cost: £158,000
Class 6: all 13 races to receive a further £500, in addition to
existing EBF support: cost £6,500
Total additional cost: £257,500
6. If agreed, support for EBF maiden/novice two-year-old races would be:
Total EBF Support
2007 Additional Support
2008 Total
Class 3 £10,300 £6,000 £16,300
Class 4 £115,150 £87,000 £202,150
Class 5 £135,190 £158,000 £293,190
Class 6 £7,815 £6,500 £14,315
Total £268,455 £257,500 £525,955
(a 96% increase)
EBF prize money cannot be used to achieve minimum values, but must,
at the very least, be added to minimum values. Many courses do run EBF
races at values in excess of the minimum + EBF support.
7. In these days of gloom about prize money, an announcement of the increase should be greeted all round, particularly by vendors of yearlings and stallion owners.
Any announcement must be made in early October prior to Tattersalls Part I.
