Following the successful launch of the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) initiative in 2023 to programme high value development races, Juddmonte is pleased to renew its support in 2024 of 20 restricted two-year-old novice and maiden races with prizemoney of £30,000 each.
Developmental races were introduced to offer enhanced prize money to horses at the beginning of their careers as well as assisting longer-term objectives of supporting the domestic breeding industry and ensuring more quality horses who are bred in Britain are retained to race here. They are run off level weights, making them a fair barometer of ability, identifying the horses with the greatest talent, rewarding their connections, and encouraging them to remain within the British racing and breeding system.
Juddmonte is pleased to be focusing its sponsorship on those races with restricted conditions, which can be used to funnel prize money to the smaller owners and breeders who need it most.
Notable graduates of Juddmonte's 2023 sponsored development races include the Charlie Johnston-trained CAROLINA REAPER, winner of the Group 3 Zukunfts-Rennen at Baden Baden and Roger Varian-trained AL MUSMAK, winner of the Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock, and second in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket and Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot. It was noted that NELLIE LEYLAX, trained by Tom Dascombe and owned by Millennial Racing achieved two wins in Juddmonte's development races (and the only two races run in soft ground) having been purchased for €20,000 at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.
Juddmonte is encouraged by the healthy field sizes achieved by 2023's sponsored races (average 10.5) with an average cost of the winners at public auction just shy of £31,000. This suggests prize money of £30,000 at this level is impactful for owners and breeders alike helping to recoup money at an early stage of a horse's career as well as incentivising reinvestment and continuation of ownership in Britain.
Douglas Erskine Crum, CEO Juddmonte, said:
“After the success of last year's BHA initiative to kick-start a long-term plan to enhance prize money substantially for developmental races, Juddmonte is delighted to support financially this year's further enhancements. These high prize money developmental races directly support owners and breeders in areas that can be overlooked and thereby support our UK breeding industry.”
