Jockey Club Increases Contributions

The Jockey Club Racecourses will contribute an additional £4.2-million to prizemoney in 2018, putting its total contribution at a record £27.1-million. The contributions will be spread across all levels-no fixture will offer less than £40,000 in prizemoney; every Sunday fixture will offer at least £65,000 and every fixture will include at least one race worth £10,000 or more. The total race values at the Jockey Club Racecourses next year is expected to exceed £53-million, a new record and an £8-million increase from 2017.

The Jockey Club's 348 racing fixtures scheduled for 2018 will offer, on average, record total race values of £153,000 per fixture, up from a record £133,000 in 2017, a growth of 15% year-on-year. This compares to the average prize money per fixture of £86,000 at fixtures run outside Jockey Club Racecourses in 2017.

Paul Fisher, Chief Executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, said, “This is The Jockey Club's largest-ever commitment to horsemen and we really hope that will also translate into good news for racing fans alike. I'm very proud of our people who have worked hard to achieve the commercial results we need to be able to offer this. Because we already put all of our money back into the sport, we can only increase our prize money contribution if we create the commercial returns to do so. Some people might think that our prize money is all about the highest race classes or at one or two racecourses, but these figures demonstrate another step forward in our commitment to supporting British Racing at all levels.”

Philip Freedman, Chairman of The Horsemen's Group, which represents racehorse owners, trainers, stable staff, breeders and jockeys, said, “horsemen are obviously delighted by the increase in The Jockey Club's prize money contribution for 2018. Given the new media rights contracts are placing greater emphasis on field sizes the increases, particularly for grass roots racing, should ensure that these fixtures are attractive to horsemen. The minimum guarantees at every fixture, and at enhanced levels on Sundays, should ensure that these fixtures are attractive not only to owners, but also to race goers and the betting public, to the benefit of all those whose livelihoods depend on the health of the sport.”