York Racecourse has announced a third consecutive year of growth in prize money, to a new record of over £6 million, for the seventeen day season which begins on Wednesday 14 May 2014.  This increase amounts to over £200,000 more than the already record investment of last season and a boost of over 20% since 2011. The benefits will be felt across the range of contests staged on the Knavesmire from Group Ones to handicaps for horses building their careers.

 

The richest race ever staged at York will be the Group One Juddmonte International, the showpiece of the opening day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Wednesday 20 August when the top middle distance horses in the world will compete for a record £800,000 (up by £50,000) and the chance to join a roll of honour that includes the mighty Frankel.

 

On every day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival the feature contest will receive a boost, which, when combined with other increases, will see the cumulative value of the twenty five races run between Wednesday 20 and Saturday 23 August post another record at £3,365,000.  This represents an increase of nearly £150,000 with all contests offering £30,000 or more to connections.

 

Probably the most famous race at York, the Betfred Ebor itself, will be cemented as the richest flat handicap in Europe by the addition of £15,000 to the prize pot making it worth £265,000.

 

The race to receive the joint biggest boost will be the City of York Stakes. This highly regarded Listed contest will double its prize money to £100,000 – making it the seventeenth race at York with a six figure prize fund.  Previous winners of this seven furlong contest include subsequent Group 1 winner Gordon Lord Byron and Yorkshire dynamo, Quito. It will also move within the Festival programme to become a further highlight of Friday 23 August. The Group Three Strensall Stakes will switch to provide a high quality middle distance race on Ebor Saturday.

 

A further Listed race to receive a boost as well as a poignant name change is the Galtres which will be called The EBF and Sir Henry Cecil Memorial Galtres Stakes; benefiting from both the ongoing backing of the European Breeders’ Fund and support from members of the family of the much missed champion trainer. This one mile four furlongs race for fillies, now offering £60,000, will be part of the course’s tribute to the legendary late master of Warren Place who sent out Eva Luna (1996), Upend (1988) and Startino (1986) to win this race.

 

Overall prize money at the Dante Festival (14, 15 and 16 May) will reach a landmark of  seven figures for the first time, as more than half of the races see their prize value increased. The Tattersalls Musidora will offer £80,000 (up £5,000) to connections of the leading filly seeking to follow the six champions who have tasted subsequent classic glory.

 

There are 115 races scheduled for York in the 2014 season. Aside from the self-funded evening fixture which is treated differently in terms of levy funding, all remaining racedays have a prize fund of at least £100,000, a feature race worth at least £25,000 and no contest worth less than £10,000.

 

Speaking about the prize money increases, the Chairman of York Racecourse, Lord Grimthorpe, said, “I am delighted York is able to continue to invest in prize money and develop the race programme on the Knavesmire. The aim is to continue to attract the very best horses to York and to stage competitive, compelling racing action. As with all of these investments, they are only possible because of the unstinting support of the owners, sponsors, partners, racegoers, punters and our commercial operations. I believe this investment, coupled with continuing improvements in facilities at York, means that we can look forward to the season ahead with great enthusiasm.”