RacingBetter News
	Wednesday 18th March 2026

British EBF Renews £2m Racing Support, Boosts Stallion Promotion

Gr.1 winner VENETIAN SUN and Listed winner ARGENTINE TANGO leading home the field in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Carlisle in May 2025 PICTURE CREDIT: Jockey Club Racecourses/Grossick Racing Photography

The British EBF, never knowingly under-engaged when it comes to underpinning the domestic programme, has unveiled a schedule comprising some 800 races, backed by a £2 million contribution to prize-money, sourced from 32 British stallion studs.

That enduring commitment to prize-money remains the cornerstone, but for 2026 there is a discernible shift in emphasis towards those stallion owners whose support oils the entire mechanism.

Emma Berry, Chair of the British EBF, says: “The wider racing industry has been made aware of the pressures breeders, and by extension stallion owners, face, which has led to a declining number of active broodmares in Britain. That said, Britain still has fantastic strength and depth to our stallion market and it has been encouraging to see a number of new operations taking the step to stand stallions for the first time in 2026.

“The trustees of the British EBF have chosen four projects to promote the endeavours of our generous contributing stallion owners at this crucial time, including enhancing the focus on stallions during the middle weekend of the Tattersalls December Sale, which draws breeders from all over the country and internationally. Many Newmarket-based studs open their doors to showcase their stallions, and last year we worked with all these studs, GBRi and the TBA to maximise the number of breeders viewing stallions around the area. For 2026, we hope to secure a satellite yard where regional stallion studs can bring their horses for a couple of days to benefit from this concentration of potential customers.”

There is, too, a growing sense of cohesion in how the stallion is being presented to the marketplace. The British EBF’s monthly Stallion Focus feature in the European Bloodstock News and its headline sponsorship of the Flat Stallion Parade at the Tattersalls February Sale have become increasingly purposeful shop windows, particularly for those yet to have runners. The appearance of ROYAL SCOTSMAN on behalf of Genesis Green Stud this year served as a timely reminder of how valuable such platforms can be, especially for regional operations seeking early-season traction.

British EBF Trustee Roisin Close, whose Chapel Stud brought ELDAR ELDAROV and SUBJECTIVIST to parade, says: “For studs like mine, based further afield, the opportunity to bring stallions to an event like this is incredibly important. It gives us a rare platform to showcase our stallions directly to breeders and a much wider audience.

“We are very grateful to the British EBF for its support of events like this, but also for the wider role it plays across the sport. Through its sponsorship of so many races, the British EBF makes a significant contribution to prize money, which ultimately benefits breeders, owners, and the whole racing industry.”

Behind the scenes, the British EBF has also been instrumental in shaping the National Hunt Stallion Weekend, run under the auspices of the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and attention is already turning to building on that inaugural success next year.

On the Flat, the rising tide of Minimum Values in 2026 offers encouragement that Britain is beginning to reassert itself against its European rivals, not least in the black-type sphere. The British EBF’s input alone has helped create more than 35 Listed races worth £70,000 or more, alongside a further 30 non-Stakes contests run at £50,000-plus.

Central to the programme is the £100,000 2yo Series, carrying a total prize fund of £2.3 million and culminating in two finals: one for fillies at Goodwood in late September, the other for colts and geldings at York in early October. A network of 200 Restricted Maiden and Novice races, worth up to £30,000, provides the qualifying route, with a notably accessible entry structure for those finishing in the first six.

Alongside that sits continued support for a £2.8 million suite of high-value novice and maiden races, a proving ground that is increasingly living up to its billing.

Rachael Linsell from the British EBF explained how the cross-industry collaboration is producing positive results: “The restricted races provide excellent prize pots of £30,000 and above for trainers to focus on, while the open novice and maidens are becoming an excellent proving ground for top-level performers. VENETIAN SUN won a £40,000 maiden at Carlisle in May and went on to win Gr.1 Prix Morny. The same Carlisle race also produced Terry and Margaret Holdcroft’s homebred ARGENTINE TANGO, who, after winning the Hilary Needler just five days later, also achieved winning black type later in the season.”