prize money

In recent weeks, Forever Young has won the world's richest race for the second time, Ka Ying Rising has set a new record in winning 18 consecutive races, Romantic Warrior landed his 13th Group 1 contest, and Rebel's Romance posted his 21st career victory. They have respectively earned the equivalent of approximately £23m, £13m, £26m and £12m. It would seem that there has never been a better time to own a top-class racehorse.  Calandagan, the world's top-rated racehorse in 2025, has just turned five and may be seen next in...

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has announced that the purse for the Howden Neom Turf Cup, which has recently been upgraded to Group 1 status, has been increased to $3m for 2026. The 2,100m invitational race will be the first Group 1 to be staged on turf in Saudi Arabia and takes place on the Saudi Cup card on Saturday, February 14. The meeting has been further enhanced by a 50 per cent increase in prize-money for the 1,800m Listed Tuwaiq Cup, which will now be run for $1m....

Prize-money at Ascot Racecourse will be a record £19.4 million in 2026, an increase of £1.65 million on this year. Figures exclude the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day. Across 25 racedays, 88 of Ascot's 169 races (52%) will have a higher total prize fund than in 2025, with all races on the Flat worth £25,000 or more. Royal Ascot will be worth £10.65 million, from £10.05 million. Increases have been made across the Royal Ascot programme, with all eight Group 1 races now worth a minimum of £700,000 (including two...

On the 75th anniversary of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ascot has announced a prize-money boost for next year to £2 million, which means it will become Britain's richest-ever race. This year's race, worth £1.5 million, is already the most valuable race to be run at Ascot. Last year's King George was officially the best mile-and-a-half contest in the world in the 2024 Longines World's Top 100 Group Races. "The roll call of winners over the last 75 years is unrivalled, and we are committed to ensuring...

Paddy Twomey's squad has been bolstered by the return of one-time leading Derby prospect Deepone (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), with the trainer hinting at having assembled his strongest-ever team of horses for the year ahead.  Talented sprinter King Cuan (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) is another older horse who is reported to be back training well while Donagh O'Connor has joined the stable as second jockey behind Billy Lee. However, Twomey admitted to becoming increasingly frustrated by what he describes as 'disgraceful' levels of prize-money in Irish racing, and backed up...

More than £3.3m in prize-money has been devoted to this year's programme of High-Value Developmental Races on the Flat in Britain with an increased focus on potential stayers.  The series features 89 maiden and novice contests, 31 of which are for two-year-olds and worth £40,000, while another 30 restricted juvenile novices and maidens will carry a minimum of £30,000 in prize-money. For three-year-olds and up there are 28 open novice and maiden races worth a minimum of £40,000. With the financial backing of British Stallion Studs (EBF), Juddmonte, Darley and...

Owing to a donation by James and Shari Ough, prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will be increased by $25,000 over the next five years, beginning with this year's event, officials at the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced Thursday. This will allow payouts through 10th place for the new championship format that debuts this year, which welcomes back the top 10 highest-placed horses in the Retiring Racehorse division for a championship round of competition. Total prize money for the Thoroughbred Makeover will increase to $139,000 as a result of the...

Total prize-money at The Jockey Club's 15 racecourses next year is expected to remain at the same level as in 2024, subject to trading performance remaining on plan through its key first quarter of the year, The Jockey Club announced on Tuesday. Overall total prize-money is anticipated to be £58.1 million across the 319 fixtures staged by TJC in 2025, with £30.6 million coming from executive contribution. As a result, an average prize-money of more than £182,000 per fixture would be offered next year, up from £175,000 in 2024. Values...

SAPPORO, Japan -- "It's been a hard day's night," sang Masayuki Goto, vice-chairman of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), as he took to the stage for his keynote speech during the closing exchanges of the 4oth Asian Racing Conference (ARC). And it is plain that Goto, the former president and CEO of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), and his fellow ARF committee members are looking forward to the day when their counterparts around the world are singing along in perfect harmony, perhaps to the tune of Here Comes The Sun....

Edited Press Release The TAKE2 Thoroughbred League announced today new 2024 awards worth a total of $6,000 in recognition of Junior and Amateur Riders who compete in the TAKE2 Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper divisions nationwide. The high-point Amateur Rider in each division of the TAKE2 League standings will earn a $1,000 bonus, while the leading Junior Rider will earn a $500 bonus. In addition, the top-finishing Amateur and Junior in each division of the TAKE2 Finals will be awarded $1,000 and $500, respectively. "Amateurs and Juniors ride head-to-head with Professionals...

Brian Kavanagh has said that he agrees completely with Johnny Murtagh's assertion that Ireland should not be "resting on its laurels" when it comes to prize-money while Irish Racehorse Trainers Association [IRTA] chief Ryan McElligott expressed a wish that the Curragh boss's decision to up the minimum prize fund at the track to €20,000 could stir up similar change among other racecourses.  Leopardstown, Ireland's only other Group 1 Flat track, has followed the Curragh's lead in raising its basement prize-money levels to €15,000. However, leading trainers Joseph O'Brien and Ado...

The British wing of the European Breeders' Fund (EBF) has announced its contribution of more than £2 million towards prize-money in Britain for 2024. The funds are raised through contributions made annually by British stallion owners.  Along with its backing of more than 700 races on the Flat, the British EBF will lend extra support in certain areas this year, including an injection of £325,000 for novice and maiden races for two- and three-year-olds as part of a wider project with the BHA, Levy Board, Darley, Juddmonte and Tattersalls. The...