The new Great British Bonus incentive scheme, which was launched five months ago, has now paid out more than £1 million in prize money.
Owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and stable staff have all benefited from the GBB, which has so far recorded 63 successes, including six multiple winners.
Under the scheme, which is open to GB-bred fillies and mares, connections of each winner can win up to £20,000 per eligible race.
The latest winner to net a bonus is the Juddmonte homebred Frankel filly Vesela, out of Arabesque, who landed the British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster last Friday. But winners have come from all parts of the industry, including breeders with just one mare and owners who simply have a share in a pub syndicate racehorse.
Vesela’s winner’s cheque was for just over £4,000, but connections collected the £20,000 bonus on top of that.
“We are thrilled to have broken the magic million-pound barrier of distributed bonuses and are delighted the scheme has achieved all its ambitions in reaching every corner of the racing and breeding industry,” said scheme manager Grant Pritchard-Gordon.
“GBB is a valuable financial incentive and has never been more needed than at this time. It is helping to reward and retain owners in the sport, as well as providing additional income and incentive for breeders, trainers, jockeys and stable staff. Many yards have won multiple bonuses, including several who have won four or more, reinforcing the value and importance of this scheme for British racing.
“From hurdle and National Hunt races at Hereford, Bangor and Kelso to maiden races at Newmarket, Sandown and Newbury, we have seen bonus winners from every part of Great Britain.”
As well as paying out more than £1 million in prize money, the scheme has proved its value in the sales rings of Tattersalls and Goffs.
In all flat yearling sales, up to October 2, 95 GBB fillies have been offered with total gross sales of over £2 million, averaging £25,700 per filly and providing an 82 percent clearance rate.
At the Goffs Doncaster August Yearling Sale, GBB-registered fillies sold for 40 percent more than non-registered GBB-eligible fillies.
National Hunt sales have also been influenced, with Goffs Doncaster NH Store sale offering 23 GBB-eligible mares, with an average price of £24,500. They also provided the two top lots at £130,000 and £70,000, with an overall clearance rate of 77 percent.
Nick Bradley, who bought the highest number of GBB-eligible yearling fillies during the recent sales, said: “My business, Nick Bradley Racing, is all about looking after the owner’s investment. We targeted the GBB scheme because it raises prize money levels above the likes of Ireland and France.
“I can only speak for myself and my owners, but the GBB scheme gives me bigger budgets to spend on the GB-bred fillies when selecting my yearlings. The GB Bonus scheme is a big factor in my thoughts at the sales ring and within day-to-day race planning.”
With 2019 registration now closed, the final deadline to register eligible 2020 filly foals is Saturday (October 31).
Visit greatbritishbonus.co.uk to register now. For more information, contact Pritchard-Gordon at grant@greatbritishbonus.co.uk