Irish racing’s largest sponsor, Irish European Breeders’ Fund have today announced its highest ever sponsorship by increasing the allocation of prize-money to €2.6 million. This will be the largest annual contribution to Irish racing and will bring the overall contribution to €52 million since the foundation of the Irish European Breeders’ Fund in 1983. This spend will encompass over 320 flat races and 160 National Hunt races that carry EBF conditions throughout the year.

Highlights include twenty-six races in the Median Sires Series each worth a minimum of €25,000, the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes with a minimum prize-fund of €200,000 and the successful Irish EBF two-year-old Auction Series. This year the €695,000 Irish EBF Auction Series, formerly co-sponsored with Foran Equine, will be run by the Irish EBF with all prize-money levels upheld from April to October with twenty-five qualifiers and the €120,000 final will be held at Naas Racecourse on Sunday October 17th. Irish EBF already supports 95% of two-year-old maidens in Ireland, 33% of the three-year-old maidens, a series of three year old and upwards fillies handicaps as well as four €125,000 Premier Handicaps held over Irish Champions Weekend.