 |
 |
|
| Royal Ascot News 2013 |
Royal Ascot Prize Money Reaches £5 Million for the First Time
20/03/13
Prize money at Royal Ascot will be a record £5 million this year, representing an increase of £500,000 (11%) from 2012 and Ascot is delighted to announce that the Windsor Forest Stakes has been renamed the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.
 |
As well as reaching the £5 million Royal Ascot milestone for the first time, annual prize money for all race days in 2013 is in excess of £10 million (£10,001,150) and although this threshold was reached in 2008, that was pre-British Champions Day. Several high value races have since been removed from the fully owned Ascot programme, including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Taking into account the industry joint venture QIPCO British Champions Day, which with £3.4 million prize money showcases the best of Ascot and Newmarket's historical autumn programme, prize money on offer at Ascot in 2013 is £13,401,150.
A comparison of 2012 and 2013 Royal Ascot prize money is below. The highlights are:
- Increases of £100,000 to the St James's Palace Stakes and Coronation Stakes (to £350,000) to bring them into line with the Queen Anne Stakes, King's Stand Stakes and Gold Cup.
- Increases of £25,000 to the Royal Hunt Cup and Wokingham Stakes, to bring Ascot's flagship handicaps to £150,000. The Britannia Stakes goes up £20,000 to £120,000.
- Increases of £25,000 to three Group Two races bringing the Duke of Cambridge Stakes up to £125,000, the Ribblesdale Stakes to £150,000 and the King Edward VII Stakes to £175,000.
- Royal Ascot's definitive two-year-old championships will both be six figure races in 2013, with the Coventry Stakes up £35,000 to £120,000 and the Queen Mary up £25,000 to £100,000.
- Increases of between £5,000 and £15,000 to a further 13 races - the least any race will be worth at this year's Royal Meeting will be £60,000 (£55,000 in 2012).
Johnny Weatherby, Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot, said:
"We are delighted to be able to announce these prize money increases today and a £5 million Royal Meeting is a real milestone for the country's flagship flat race meeting. We are also naturally thrilled that Her Majesty The Queen has graciously consented to renaming the Windsor Forest in honour of her grandson, The Duke of Cambridge."
Charles Barnett, Chief Executive at Ascot, added:
"We have worked hard to make the international races competitive globally in recent years and our focus this year has been to enhance the top three-year-old races, the feature handicaps, the two-year-old championships and the programme generally. It is very important to us to have a significant minimum amount on offer, and we have set that at £60,000.
"We have seen some remarkable racing at Ascot in recent years and whilst the importance of winning at Royal Ascot both in terms of prestige and in value to the bloodstock industry can't be denied, increasing prize money is equally crucial to attracting the best horses to run in a highly competitive market.
"The top four horses in the world last year on official ratings - Frankel, Cirrus Des Aigles, Black Caviar and Excelebration - all ran at Ascot."
