Goodwood plays full part in £2.2m bonus scheme for yearlings

There will be more than 130 bonuses paid out to eligible winning two-year-olds this year in Britain and 30 in Ireland, while £350,000 worth of bonuses will be offered internationally.

At Goodwood, races which are part of the initiative are: the EBF Goodwood Maiden Stakes (May 10), the Tanqueray Maiden Auction Fillies’ Stakes (June 22), the Casino At Bet365 EBF ‘Assertive’ Maiden Stakes (July 31), The Markel International Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (August 1); the EBF Medicean New Ham Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (August 2) and the Revival Maiden Auction Stakes (August 25) and the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF (October 14).

The total value of the races hosted at Goodwood will be £70,000 and they range from six furlongs up to one mile, one furlong.

Owners and trainers can find the RPYBS maiden races and check that their horse is eligible at www.yearlingbonus.com.

Scheme coordinator Kerry Murphy said: “Races are selected proportionately to those programmed by the BHA from the start of the turf season to the end of October so we make every effort to give all types of yearling a chance at winning a bonus.

“Ten per cent of the bonus fund is carried over for three-year-old maidens with subsequent Oaks winner Dancing Rain among those that benefitted last year.

“The industry needs to encourage owners to keep coming back to the yearling sales and with no solution to the reduction in British prize money on the horizon, this self-help initiative is ever more popular to owners.

“The £10,000 bonus is a huge incentive.”

To date more than £5.4m has been paid out in bonuses.

Goodwood’s new season opens on Saturday, May 5. Tickets for the whole year are on sale now.