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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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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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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Joe Foley, Chairman, Irish EBF said, “The Irish EBF board will be forever grateful to John O'Connor for his leadership, dedication, diligence and fairness over the last 10 years in his role as Irish EBF Chairman. He continually upheld the ethos of the Irish EBF and represented the board both at home and at a European level to the highest standards. He gave his time voluntarily to deal with EBF matters and always deliberated with both the small and large stallion owner in mind. He is passing on the leadership of the Irish EBF in very good health and we are delighted that he is staying on the board to help guide us into the future.”

Tom Gaffney, Deputy Chairman, Irish EBF added, “I see first-hand how racecourses benefit from Irish EBF race sponsorship which greatly enhance the race-day programme with added benefits for owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff. I am looking forward to working with Joe on Irish EBF matters and continuing the great work carried out over the last number of years.”

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Wednesday's barrier trials, scheduled to begin at noon, will be run over five, six or seven furlongs and are open to unraced 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and backed by the Irish EBF and IHRB, the trials will be recorded, timed, and made available to view online shortly after running on the ITM website and social media. In addition, a live stream will also be available to view on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information, please visit www.itm.ie/Buying/Barrier-Trials.

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The winner of the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. will receive €150,000 with prize money paid down to 12th place. There will also be the Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane S. added to the Naas card that will carry a purse of €50,000 with prize money paid down to sixth place. This race is automatically open to all those horses still entered which receive a ballot number in the Irish EBF Ballyhane S. and 48-hour declarations will apply. June 23rd is the next forfeit stage, with the final forfeit stage on July 28th.

Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, said, “We are thrilled to again be in a position to reward the owners and trainers who supported the race by increasing prize-money in the main race and staging the extra race, this will positively benefit a wide range of connections. We are looking forward to seeing the build-up to the race from now until Aug. 2nd and if our €50,000 bonus will be claimed this year by a Ballyhane sired 2-year-old.”

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“The INS are delighted to partner with the Irish EBF to create a summer series of 2-year-old fillies’ maidens which will benefit a wide cross section of the industry.”

Added Irish EBF Chairman John O’Connor, “The Irish EBF board would like to thank the Irish National Stud for co-sponsoring with us at this crucial time. We are delighted to see stallion farms increasing their sponsorship to help the bloodstock industry at this difficult time and we would encourage other stallion farms and commercial sponsors to follow suit.”

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“At this crucial time for the industry it is important to look after both of these vital race series and continue to offer connections of EBF eligible 2-year-olds valuable race opportunities,” said Irish EBF Chairman John O’Connor. “We commend Horse Racing Ireland on successfully scheduling twenty one races from both series over June and July and we look forward to seeing connections reap the many benefits on offer.”

For more information on the Irish EBF Median Sires series, the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series and for the race schedule, please visit www.hri-ras.ie/race-planning/qualifications/.

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