Over £25 million has been paid out in bonuses by the Great British Bonus scheme after Clementines Star claimed a £20,000 bonus in the Restricted Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Thirsk on July 16. Racing in the Star Racing Club silks and bred by Miss K Keir of Elkington Stud, the three-year-old filly was a £32,000 Goffs Premier Sale grad.
Natalie Folland from Folland Bowen whose team foaled, prepped and consigned the A'Ali filly said, “GBB is a brilliant initiative – we've been fans of it since it launched because it gives those people, like Miss Keir, who invest so much time, enthusiasm and money into the industry a little chance to earn something back. It supports the fillies not only on the track, like with Clementines Star's win today but also as they head to the sales – buyers increasingly look for those GBB stickers and they're willing to pay a bit more for those registered to it. We're looking forward to heading back to the sales this year with another lovely bunch of fillies to sell.”
GBB, with majority support from the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), has now paid out 1,836 bonuses to 1,441 individual fillies and mares, totalling over £25 million to breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff. A total of almost £19 million has gone to the Flat sector, with over £6 million going to National Hunt. In the time GBB has been running since June of 2020, the median value of a Flat filly has increased by 13.4% and a National Hunt filly by 26.5%.
In an average GBB-winning race, connections take home £6,105 in prize-money. The average bonus paid out for the same race is £13,607 meaning the bonus itself is worth 123% more than the winning prize-money. To date, the leading filly in the scheme is Adaay In Devon (Adaay), bred by Horniwinks Racing Club, winner of £80,000 in bonuses. Whitsbury Manor Stud, which sells the majority of its stock at auction, is the leading breeder for the scheme.
Alan Delmonte, chief executive of the HBLB, said, “The HBLB is immensely proud to have been the majority funder of the Great British Bonus since its inception. The scheme encourages investment in British-bred fillies and incentivises their participation on the racecourse. Reaching £25 million in bonus payments is a significant milestone and reflects the success of a scheme that continues to support British racing while rewarding participants across the sport.”
GBB's operations manager, Charlie Newton said, “Passing £25 million is a landmark for the scheme, but it's really a landmark for the people who've backed British breeding and racing to get us here. We've watched GBB grow from a little scheme trying to establish itself into something the industry now builds decisions around – and none of that could have happened without HBLB's continued backing. We're incredibly excited for the future of the scheme and watching what it will achieve in the future.”
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