Almost 500 races, both Flat and National Hunt, will carry EBF conditions in 2024. A new addition to the calendar this year is the €330,000 3YO Spring Series, with the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic as its showpiece.

The considerable spend of €3 million has also allowed the Irish EBF to underwrite all two-year-old EBF maiden races with €18,000 of minimum prize-money and all EBF maiden hurdles and beginners chases with a €15,000 minimum prize-fund. This compliments the 2023 announcement where all Listed races are worth a minimum of €40,000 and all fillies' Listed races are worth a minimum of €50,000.

The Irish EBF Auction Series and the Median Sires Series continue with €1.7 million of prize-money on offer to two-year-olds. The Irish EBF Ballyhane S. is worth €300,000 alone, while the Irish EBF Auction Series Final has a total prize-fund of €120,000.

National Hunt support continues with about 50% of the National Hunt allocation targeted at mares' chases, hurdle and bumper races. Irish EBF will also continue to back the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series, worth nearly €400,000 with 16 qualifying races and a €75,000 final at the Punchestown Festival which is backed up by the Irish EBF Auction Bumper Series with six races worth €15,000 each over the season.

Joe Foley, Irish EBF chairman, said, “The Irish EBF governors are delighted to announce another record contribution to Irish prize-money for the 2024 racing year. This will allow us to continue our normal sponsorship programme spanning almost 500 races but also to add extra support in many areas.

“All Irish EBF two-year-olds maidens carrying a minimum €18,000 prize-money is a significant achievement but other areas such as Listed races, maiden hurdles, beginners chases and the exciting new 3YO Spring Series, which culminates in the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms Gowran Classic, will benefit from our increased spend.

“We look forward to seeing the 3YO Spring Series for middle distance horses grow and develop and hope that it becomes as successful and popular as our 2YO series; the Irish EBF Auction Series and the Irish EBF Median Sires Series. As ever, this record contribution would not be possible without the unanimous support and funding from Irish stallion owners, so immense thanks is due to them.”

Jonathan Mullin, director of racing at Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), added, “The Irish EBF has long been the largest sponsor of Irish racing and HRI is hugely appreciative of their long-standing investment, which is underpinned by voluntary contributions from stallion farms all over Ireland.

“The commitment of €3 million towards prize-money includes a key project in 2024: the first year of targeted support for later developing middle distance horses. This initiative is the latest in over forty years of dedicated support from the EBF and for that we thank them sincerely.”

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Three-year-olds with a median price of no more than €75,000 will be able to take part in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, with entries for the race, run over nine and a half furlongs, set to close on Wednesday, March 13. The winner will receive an automatic free entry into the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, June 30. This applies to both colts and fillies.

Six races, each worth at least €25,000, make up the series which offers total prize-money of €330,000. The Curragh, Navan and Cork will host four maiden races between them–two for fillies only–and each of these races will be restricted to three-year-olds whose sires achieved a median price of not more than €50,000 in 2022.

A median price of €75,000 will apply to runners in the €30,000 Irish Stallions Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Race held at Roscommon on Monday, May 13. The same median price restriction will apply to runners in the €200,000 series finale.

There will be free entry, sponsored by Irish Stallion Farms, for all racegoers at Gowran Park on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3 and the racecourse's manager, Eddie Scally, said, “Gowran Park are really excited to host the inaugural €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, the region's richest Flat race.

“This race will form part of an action-packed day both on and off the track this June Bank Holiday Monday with live music and a massive family fun day. We hope the Gowran Classic will attract all the top trainers and riders from both Ireland and abroad and see for themselves the warm Kilkenny welcome.”

Joe Foley, chairman of the Irish EBF, added, “Irish Stallion Farms already sponsor two successful series for two-year-olds, the auction and median series with 27 races in each and a combined value of nearly €850,000.

“We felt it important to develop a similar series for later developing middle-distance three-year-olds; hence the Spring Series was initiated with the valuable €200,000 race at Gowran as its centrepiece. We look forward to seeing this three-year-old series grow and develop and are delighted to support Gowran Park racecourse in particular, who are investing heavily in their facilities.”

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A field of 13 juveniles will chase the €72,000 first prize in the Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final. The series carried an overall prize fund of €750,000 across 27 races this year with each of the qualifying races worth at least €20,000.

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The trials, restricted to unraced juveniles and 3-year-olds, are operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish European Breeders' Fund (IEBF) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). The 2023 edition will be back on turf for the first time since 2019, and all the trials will be conducted over six and seven furlongs. Notable graduates of the trials include Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Caroline Street (No Nay Never).

All of the trials are recorded, timed, and made available to view online shortly after their running on the ITM website and social media. In addition, there will also be a live steam of the trials on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information, please visit the ITM website.

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O'Connor, who has also been Chairman of the Irish EBF and ITBA in the past, said, “I am delighted to take on the Chairmanship of the EBF in its 40th year. The EBF plays a significant role in supporting the racing industry at many levels. Due to the calibre of stallions that now stand in Europe and through the commitment of stallion farms large and small, the EBF contributes more to prize-money than ever at a time when it is of crucial importance with costs rising rapidly for all participants in racing. I will aim to continue and build on the excellent work of my predecessor Philip Freedman and I look forward to working with Kerry Murphy and the team.”

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At a twin launch at Ballyhane Stud and the Lord Bagenal Hotel on Wednesday evening, representatives from Naas Racecourse, the Irish EBF and Ballyhane, ably helped by the stud's impeccably behaved new stallion Space Traveller (GB), also announced an accompanying prize for one lucky racegoer of a trip to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Entrance to Naas Racecourse for the meeting will be free.

A median auction race for juveniles whose sire had one or more yearling sold last year with a median price of not more than €75,000, the six-furlong contest has attracted 345 entries. A total of 29 Irish-based trainers have horses entered, with 145 entries hailing from Britain. Connections of the winner are in line to scoop €150,000, while the breeder of the winner will receive a free nomination to a Ballyhane stallion.

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, which will also sponsor free admission to the racecourse for the meeting, said, “It was great to see the Flat season kick off last weekend and we are once again eagerly awaiting the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes in August. The race may be a few months away yet but owners and trainers alike love to dream and it's fantastic to see such a strong number of entries for what will be the fourth renewal of the race at Naas. The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a valuable race and prize-money is so important to the owners so we are excited to be associated with such a popular day once again.”

Prior to the race, a draw will be made at Naas, assigning one racegoer to each horse in the feature race, with the name linked to the winning horse set to win a two-night package for the Ireland vs South Africa match, including return flights, hotel transfers, hotel B&B, pre-match lunch and two tickets. 

“The Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is a highlight of the August Bank Holiday weekend now and we are delighted with the huge number of entries we have received,” said Eamonn McEvoy, manager of Naas Racecourse. “Everyone at Naas is very grateful to Ballyhane for their support by also sponsoring the gate on the day and some lucky racegoer is going to leave on the day with a trip of a lifetime to see the best rugby team in the world at the World Cup. It promises to be a fantastic afternoon.”

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Celebrating 40 years of service to Irish racing, the Irish EBF's 2023 contribution brings their overall contribution to over €57 million since its founding in 1983. Almost 500 races, both Flat and National Hunt, will carry EBF conditions this year. Over 42% of the total spend by the Irish EBF is targeted at 2-year-olds, with almost all of the maiden races, the successful Irish EBF Auction Series and the Median Sires Series with the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. a valuable showcase for median races. The Irish EBF Auction Series is worth a total of €745,000 and has 24 qualifying races and two finals to target. The €50,000 Auction Nursery Final, over six furlongs, will be run at Cork Racecourse in September and the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Final is at Naas racecourse in October. Races for older horses are being bolstered, with all listed fillies races running for a minimum of €50,000 and all other listed races running for a minimum of €40,000.

About 50% of the National Hunt allocation is targeted at mares' chases, hurdle and bumper races. The popular Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series, worth nearly €400,000 has 16 qualifying races and a €75,000 final at the Punchestown Festival which is backed up by the Irish EBF Auction Bumper Series with six races worth €15,000 each over the season.

Joe Foley, Irish EBF Chairman, said, “Prize-money is the lifeblood of our industry and fundamental to the health and future of any racing jurisdiction. The Irish EBF board are always eager to direct as much funding as possible into prize-money and are delighted to put forward this €2.7 million record spend for 2023. This level of spend is only possible thanks to the voluntary contributions made annually, by every stallion owner and manager in Ireland. The sponsorship spend encompasses all facets of the racing programme throughout the year and provide many valuable options to owners and trainers of horses of both codes.”

Suzanne Eade, CEO Horse Racing Ireland, said, “The Irish EBF has long been the largest sponsor of Irish racing and HRI is hugely appreciative of their long-standing and continued commitment which is underpinned by voluntary contributions from stallion farms all over Ireland. The Irish EBF's record race sponsorship of €2.7m million in 2023 is hugely important to the horseracing industry as it will benefit all the many recipients of prize money under both codes including owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.”

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Trials are available to view on the ITM website and social media: https://bit.ly/3wD4AZd. A live stream is also available on the ITM YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2FZ9FG7.

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“The owners of every stallion standing in Ireland, big or small, Flat or National Hunt, have contributed to this amount and as chairman, I'd like to thank them for their contributions,” Joe Foley, Irish EBF Chairman said. “We worked hard to increase our funding to record levels during the last few years to enable prize-money to remain as high as possible through pandemic times and we're pleased to maintain this contribution this year, when we welcome everyone back to the racetracks of Ireland.”

Among events highlighted by the Irish EBF sponsorship is 2-year-old maidens, with 95% of all maiden races carrying EBF conditions and benefitting from added prize-money among the 52 series races worth a total prize-fund of about €1.4 million. The Median Sires Series will feature 26 races and the EBF Auction Series will offer 24 races and two finals including the Irish EBF Auction Series Final of €120,000 at Naas in October. The €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S., a showcase for median races, will take place on the August Bank Holiday Monday at Naas.

Additionally, the support given to National Hunt races includes 22 series races worth over €480,000.

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