EBF

High Value Developmental Races on the Flat will continue this season, with 76 races programmed to strengthen the British racing and breeding industry. The novice and maiden races are run with enhanced prize-money to support domestic breeding and encourage the purchase and racing of young talent in Britain. The programme of high value races is possible thanks to the support of British Stallion Studs (European Breeders' Fund), Darley, Juddmonte and Tattersalls, who combine with the BHA Development Fund to provide financial support for the initiative. The first High Value Developmental...

Sam Sheppard CBE, former chief executive of both the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) and the European Breeders' Fund (EBF), died on Friday evening at his home in Suffolk. He was 84. His tenure at the TBA ran from 1973 to 1989 and during that time Sheppard was instrumental in setting up the EBF along with the late Peter Willett and Bob McCreery. He remained at the helm of the EBF, which is still going strong more than 40 years later, until his retirement at the end of 2012. By that...

The deadline to nominate yearlings to the European Breeders' Fund (EBF) by a stallion not registered to the EBF is Saturday, May 31. This nomination stage largely relates to yearlings by stallions standing in the US and requires a registration fee to be paid of $600. "Owners and breeders looking to either campaign a horse in Europe or sell, should check that it is EBF nominated as over 80% of two-year-old maiden races are confined to EBF-qualified horses," said the EBF's Kerry Murphy. "The EBF is contributing over €6 million...

Ninety years after the birth of the Italian champion racehorse and influential sire Nearco (Ity), Mattia Cadrobbi has been appointed as the new president of the Fondo Italiano dell'Allevamento (Italian Breeding Fund), succeeding the Marquis Annibale Brivio Sforza after his 30 years in the role. Cadrobbi is a former president of the Italian Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ANAC). Cadrobbi, whose appointment also coincided with the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the FIA, is joined on the Board of Directors by vice president Alessandra Vigliani, who is responsible for Ticino Bloodstock....

There is now another reason - or make that 84 reasons - to look forward to the Brocklesby S. in a little over five weeks. The traditional curtain-raiser for the British two-year-old season is the first of 84 races this year to benefit from increased funding through a programme of high-value developmental races in 2024. This initiative, which was launched last year with a series of 63 races, is driven by British stallion studs through the European Breeders' Fund (EBF), Juddmonte, Darley and Tattersalls, and will provide more than £3...

In November, American racing will celebrate the 40th running of the Breeders' Cup, with $28 million in prize-money for 14 races across two days. Breeders' Cup Limited, the organising company for this global highlight of the Flat racing programme, was founded in 1982 from an original suggestion by John Gaines, who proposed that the prize-money for the Breeders' Cup races would come from contributions made by stallion owners. The contributions paid were decided on a sliding scale relative to each stallion's nomination fee and number of mares covered in a...

Entries are now open for Irish EBF Barrier Trials, which will be held at Dundalk Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Trials are open to unraced 2- and 3-year-olds and return to Dundalk for the first time since August, 2022. They will be contested over five, six and seven furlongs. The most recent Irish EBF Barrier Trials, held at Naas Racecourse in May, have already produced multiple winners, including Royal Ascot winner Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}), listed winner Warnie (Ire) (Highland Root {Ire}), group-placed Mythology (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), and multiple...

The deadline to register 2-year-olds to the European Breeders Fund by a stallion not registered to the EBF is Friday, June 30. "Owners and trainers looking to campaign a horse in Europe should check that it is EBF nominated as over 80% of 2-year-old maiden/novice races are confined to EBF eligibles," said Kerry Murphy of the EBF said. "Once eligible, horses can compete for a pool of over €5million available in added prizemoney throughout Europe, including the valuable series being staged in GB and Ireland. This nomination stage largely relates...

A new website for the European Breeders' Fund, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023, launched this week. The site offers a better user experience with improved search capabilities for owners and trainers, and dedicated pages for each member country detailing their Trustees, race programmes and news. "The 40th anniversary of the European Breeders Fund is a good time to refresh the website and include more information on each member country," Kerry Murphy, CEO of the European Breeders' Fund, said. "The EBF is putting more funds into prizemoney than ever...

Ballylinch Stud's John O'Connor has been named the new Chairman of the European Breeders' Fund. He replaces Philip Freedman, who served two terms in that role. 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...

Entries are open for Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Dundalk Stadium, to be held Tuesday, July 5, beginning at noon (local time). Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by Irish EBF and the IHRB, Trials are open to unraced 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and are run over five to seven furlongs. Trials, principally staged to offer a platform for unraced Irish Thoroughbreds, also serve as a learning experience for inexperienced horses. Notable Trial graduates include Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint winner A Case Of You (Ire) and Group 3...

Allocating an additional £100,000 to the total prize fund, the European Breeders' Fund announced the British EBF 2yo Series will offer £200,000 in 2022. The series of races was designed to provide high-value end of season goals for offspring by middle market stallions. The finals, which are staged at Group 1 independent racecourses, will be held between early September and October. Goodwood and York both pledged the full financial support; match-funding the £100,000 British EBF prize money contribution. A full list of qualifiers can be accessed here. Race conditions for...