The different incentives available across Europe this summer for those in search of prize money and black type success!

Article by Lissa Oliver

In February, the European Pattern Committee (EPC) announced changes to the 2024 European programme of Flat Black-Type races. The EPC sanctioned a total of 826 Black-Type races (838 in 2023), comprising 416 Group races (418 in 2023) and 410 Listed races (420 in 2023). Five Pattern races have been downgraded in 2024, with a further 11 Listed races losing that status.

Jason Morris, Chair of the EPC, explained, “This year will see another contraction in the number of Pattern and Listed races to be staged throughout Europe, with the total number having declined from 852 races in 2022 to 826 in 2024. The European Pattern Committee continues to enforce the most stringent international quality control measures so that the racing and breeding industries can have the utmost confidence in the quality of European Black Type.”

This leaves trainers rethinking traditional routes to Black Type, but at the same time adding new avenues, some of which could lead to some interesting destinations. The EPC approved an application from Denmark to stage a new Black Type race in 2024, with the Golden Mile at Klampenborg over 1600m (8f) for three-years-olds and upwards in May being upgraded to Listed status and carrying a purse of €46,749 (£40,000). 

In Ireland, the Salsabil Stakes, a 2000m (10f) race for three-year-old fillies at Navan in April, has been upgraded from Listed to Group 3. Ireland will also stage a new Listed race for three-year-olds over 2400m (12f) at Gowran Park 27th July, the Marble City Stakes worth €46,749 (£40,000).

Flagship races in Poland and Spain

Although no new Listed race applications have been received from emerging racing nations, the EPC noted the strong first Listed edition of the Wielka Warszawska in Poland in 2023. Run over 2600m (13f) at Sluzewiec Racecourse 6th October, for three-year-olds up, it carries a prize of €111,138 (£95,092).

The €85,000 (£72,728) Gran Premio de Madrid in Spain also continues to perform well after being allocated Listed status by the EPC in 2022. It’s run at Madrid over 2500m (12.5f) 22nd June for three-year-olds up. 

These were created through the recent Flagship Race scheme by the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF) and EPC, allowing countries with no Black Type races to apply for a single Flagship race which qualifies for Black Type at a lower rating level. This provides horses with a slightly easier Black Type opportunity, by 2.2kg (5lbs). It also opens up new and often interesting destinations for owners and team.

Morocco 

Dr Paull Khan, Secretary-General of the EMHF, explains, “The quality control that is applied to European Black Type is the most stringent in the world. This is good, of course, because everyone recognises the strength of European Group and Listed races. But, on the other hand, countries with less-rich racing industries have long found it hard to establish races which attract the necessary quality of runners to qualify for Black Type. Essentially, for most race types, the average ratings of the first four finishers must be at least 100. Two years ago, the EMHF and EPC devised the Flagship Race scheme, under which countries with no Black Type races can apply for a single Flagship race to be given Black Type based on average ratings of the first four finishers being 5lbs lower than would normally be the case.  In simple terms, this means that trainers with horses up to 5lbs shy of normal Listed Race standard stand a reasonable chance of attaining black type when targeted at these races.

“There is a ripple effect which is of benefit to trainers,” Dr Khan points out. ”Other countries are looking to join the party, and in order to attract the necessary quality of entries - particularly from abroad – are ploughing money into their candidate races, and are often offering attractive travel incentives, too. Even if these races have not yet attained their Black Type status, they can still be immensely attractive propositions.”

Top of the list in this respect is Morocco’s Grand Prix de la Sorec. The 10th renewal of the Morocco International meeting will be held on the weekend of 16th and 17th November 2024 at the Casablanca-Anfa racecourse, a dirt track. This prestigious 14-race meeting plays a major role in promoting the Moroccan horseracing industry internationally and includes eight international races worth €1m  in total. Sunday is devoted to Purebred Arabians, with over €500,000 in prize money for the four Black Type races. 

Saturday is an all-thoroughbred card and of interest here is the feature €123,000 Grand Prix de la Sorec, 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds up. Entry is €600  by 31st October, free to declare. Also on the card is the €71,600 Grand Prix des Eleveurs for three-year-old fillies, over 1750m (8.75f) and the €61,600 Grand Prix des Proprietaires for three-year-old colts, over 1900m (9.5f). Casablanca-Anfa racecourse provides a children's area, entertainment and excellent facilities for visiting owners and trainers. The Cité du Cheval is the 87-hectare training centre on the outskirts of Casablanca, 15 minutes from Casablanca airport and 30 minutes from the racecourse, with 400 boxes, several training tracks, a farriery centre, two restaurants and a housing and catering area for staff.

International runners will have their flights, via the BBA, paid for, or up to €3,000 toward overland transport. Flights, hotel accommodation and all transfers are provided for two owners, the trainer and guest, and the jockey. Hospitality includes lunch at the racecourse on both days and dinner at the Gala Evening on Saturday.

As Dr Khan points out, “Another factor here is the ‘racing tourism’ element. The exotic location of these races provides an additional appeal for owners and trainers who want to soak up the fantastic experience of racing in different cultures.” 

Turkey

Turkey and its International festival on the first weekend of September at Veliefendi Racetrack, Istanbul, has for long been a popular destination, particularly for British trainers. Since Brexit, however, the issues involving a Third Country have deterred British runners, leaving the races more open for other European runners. What is instead happening is that two valuable €240,000 (£208,000) Group races have been wholly contested by locally-trained horses, the 2023 Bosphorus Cup attracting just five runners.

The International Bosphorus Cup has this year been downgraded to Group 3, but remains an attractive proposition. Run on turf over 2400m (12f), the €240,000 (£208,000) race is open to three-year-olds up. With the same prize money, the 1600m (8f) International Topkapi Trophy is another Group 3 for three-year-olds up that last year attracted no foreign runners. And the same applies to the fillies only Group 3 International Istanbul Trophy over 1600m (8f), worth €127,000 (£108,645).

Entry for the International meeting is by 2nd August, and a very generous travel subsidy is available to foreign runners, including $18,000 to horses arriving from the continents of America (North and South), Oceania, Africa and Far East countries. Up to €12,000 is available to European and UAE runners.

Sweden and Norway

Sweden’s 500-acre Bro Park has permanent stabling and training facilities, just over 30 minutes from the centre of Stockholm by car and a similar distance from Arlanda Airport. The two main international days are the Stockholm Cup day 15th September and the Stockholm Stora day 9th June, both branded as Super Sunday, during which the local 1000 and 2000 Guineas are also run. Run on turf at Bro Park, the Group 3 Stockholm Stora Pris is run over 1750m (8.75f) and worth €88,817 (£75,992), with a strong supporting card of the €29,309 (£25,000) Listed Bro Park Varsprint over 1200m (6f) and Listed Bloomers’ Vase 1600m (8f) for fillies, carrying the same value.

The Group 3 Stockholm Cup International over 2400m (12f) on turf carries prize money of €124,343 (£106,380) and the three supporting races each offer €58,619 (£50,151); the Listed Tattersalls Nickes Minneslöpning 1600m (8f) run on dirt, the Listed Bro Park Sprint Championship 1200m (6f) on turf, and the Listed Lanwades Stud Stakes 1600m (8f) on turf for fillies. Lanwades Stud also generously offers a free nomination to one of its stallions to the winner. The card also includes a 1400m (7f) two-year-old race on turf worth €36,859 (£31,534), the Svealandlopning. The other mentioned races are for three-year-olds up.

There are also interesting opportunities in Norway on Norsk Derby day 25th August at Oslo, as Director of Racing Liv Kristiansen tells us. ”Oslo offers a great range of both historic and modern hotels and restaurants and makes for a great long weekend with the Derby Day as a finale. The racecourse is just a 15-minute drive from the city centre and is home to most of the racehorses in Norway. On the day, there will be many runners from Denmark and Sweden as well.”

Kristiansen reminds us that it is prohibited to use the whip throughout all of Scandinavia, and in Norway jockeys are not allowed to carry a whip in races for three-year olds and older.

Germany

As an accompaniment to the familiar Pattern races in Germany, Deutscher Galopp Director of Racing Rüdiger Schmanns tells us, ”in general all races are open for foreign trained horses, even handicaps if the horses have a rating in the home country. We have good prize money options in handicaps on the so-called Premium Race Meetings, which are meetings on Sundays or Bank Holidays with at least a Group race on offer on that day. Handicaps of the best category are in total value of €20,000 (£17,103), the second best of €15,000 (£12,827), the third best of €10,000 (£8,551), and the lowest category of €8,000 (£6,841). At the Baden-Baden meetings there is usually one handicap of the day with higher prize money and in Bad Harzburg we have the so-called Super-Handicaps with exceptional prize money in the different categories, but they have an early closing stage at the beginning of April. Average prize money is the highest ever on offer in Germany at €14,200 (£12,143).”

France

Handicaps should also be on the radar in France, where France Galop is contributing heavily in the relaunch of the Quinté+ bet. As a result, the 13 Major Handicaps programme has been remodelled to restore appeal. Four Super Handicaps are now worth €100,000 (£85,519) and eight more have increased in value to €75,000 (£64139), with maximum runners raised to 20. The four €100,000 Super Handicaps cannot be on a Group 1 card and will be run on 7th April at ParisLongchamp 1400m (7f) four-year-olds up; 5th May ParisLongchamp 2000m (10f) four-year-olds up; 4th August Deauville 1600m (8f) three-year-olds up; and 8th September ParisLongchamp 1850m (9f) three-year-olds up.

The dates of the €75,000 Grands Handicaps, with a maximum of 18 runners, are 2nd June Chantilly 2400m (12f) four-year-olds up; 16th June Chantilly 1800m (9f) four-year-olds up; 15th August Deauville 1200m (6f) three-year-olds up; 18th August Deauville 1900m (9.5f) three-year-olds up; 5 October ParisLongchamp 1600m (8f) three-year-olds up; 5th October ParisLongchamp 2500m 12.5f) three-year-olds up; 6th October ParisLongchamp 1300m (6.5f) three-year-olds up; 6th October ParisLongchamp 2000m (10f) three-year-olds up.

Another shake-up comes in the reduction of entry fees for Group 1 races to revitalise entries, introducing a uniform entry price of 0.65% of prize value, with the exception of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Classic races. This lowers the entry fees for 15 Group 1 races, out of a total of 21. Trainers should note that entries have also been brought forward to earlier dates, now four weeks prior to the race.

Ireland

Horse Racing Ireland confirmed a record 395 fixtures for 2024, with an increase of €1.3m (£1.1m) in prize money, creating additional opportunities for horses at all levels. In addition, the final €1.4m (£1.2m) in capital schemes will be paid out for stableyard expansions (€0.3m) and racetrack and industry facility improvements (€1.1m), making it a more attractive proposal for visiting horses and team.

HRI, the Irish EBF and Gowran Park Racecourse have announced a significant boost to the three-year-old programme for middle-distance horses with a new Spring Series of median sires races, culminating in the €200,000 (£170,980) Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, 2000m (10f), the richest race ever held at the County Kilkenny course, on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd June. The race is designed to attract three-year-old middle-distance horses with a median price of no more than €75,000 (£64,121). The winner will receive an automatic free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on 30th June. 

The series, with total prize money of €330,000 (£282,125), will consist of six races with a minimum prize-fund of €25,000 (£21,373) per race. The Curragh, Navan and Cork will host four maiden races between them, two for fillies only, and each of these races will be restricted to runners whose sires achieved a median price of not more than €50,000 (£42,747) in 2022. 

A median price of €75,000 (£64,121) will apply to runners in The Irish Stallions Farms EBF three-year-old Spring Series Race, with a value of €30,000 (£25,647) at Roscommon on 13 May. The same median price restriction will apply to runners in the €200,000 series Finale. 

Racecourse Manager Eddie Scally says, “Gowran Park are really excited to host the inaugural €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic, the region’s richest Flat race. This race will form part of an action-packed day both on and off the track with live music and a massive family fun day. We hope the Gowran Classic will attract all the top trainers and riders from both Ireland and abroad and see for themselves the warm Kilkenny welcome.”

Irish Stallion Farms EBF already sponsor two successful series for two-year-olds, the auction and median series with 27 races in each and a combined value of nearly €850,000 (£726,712). ”We felt it important to develop a similar series for later developing middle-distance three-year-olds,” says Irish EBF Chairman Joe Foley, ”hence the Spring Series was initiated with the Gowran Classic as its centrepiece. We look forward to seeing this three-year-old series grow and develop and are delighted to support Gowran Park racecourse in particular, who are investing heavily in their facilities.”

 Curragh-based trainer Willie McCreery points out, “These races are designed to be linked to the median price of the stallion, which allows everyone to participate. It offers great opportunities for middle-distance horses that needed a bit of time to mature and gives them a big target to aim at. The prize money along with the ‘win and you’re in’ to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is a super incentive.”

The new series consists of the 2000m (10f) €25,000 3yo Median Auction Maiden (Fillies) at the Curragh 6th April; 2000m (10f) €25,000 3yo Median Auction Maiden at Navan 9th April; the 2000m (10f) €25,000 3yo Median Auction Maiden at Navan 27th April; the 2000m (10f) €25,000 3yo Median Auction Maiden (Fillies) at Cork 10th May; the 2000m (10f) €30,000 3yo Median Auction Winners of 1 at Roscommon 30th May; and the Gowran Classic.

If tourism is the agenda, don’t forget Ireland’s only beach race meeting at Laytown, a small seaside resort just 46km (29 miles) from Dublin. The six-race card at Laytown races is held Monday 16th September 2024 with an average of €7,000 (£6,000) to the winner.

Britain

Last year saw the introduction of high value developmental races in Britain, a scheme the BHA has expanded for 2024. From 63, there are now 84 developmental races for the Flat season worth over €3.5m (£3m) in total prize money. The initiative has been made possible by British Stallion Studs (EBF), Juddmonte, Darley and Tattersalls, as well as the BHA Development Fund and is aimed at supporting the domestic breeding industry and encouraging the purchase of young talent in Britain. The races offer enhanced prize money to horses embarking on the early stages of their racing careers. 

Richard Wayman, Chief Operating Officer of the BHA, explains, “These races play a hugely important role within the race programme and yet, historically, it is an area where prize money has been behind our international competitors. It is essential that steps are taken to retain quality horses on our shores and with over 80 of these races scheduled for the coming season, this is one initiative that we believe will support this broader aim.”

The 2024 programme began with the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster on the opening day of the 2024 Turf season, one of 60 such races for two-year-olds. It comprises 32 Open Novice/Maiden races for two-year-olds, worth a minimum of €46,789 (£40,000); 29 Restricted Novice/Maiden races for two-year-olds, worth a minimum of €35,091 (£30,000); and 23 Open Novice/Maiden races for three-year-olds up, worth a minimum of €46,789 (£40,000).

“British Stallion Studs (EBF) are delighted to be a leading sponsor of the 2024 High Value Developmental Race programme, with a contribution of over €380,172 (£325,000), covering more than 30 races,” says Simon Sweeting, Chairman of British Stallion Studs (EBF). “One of the unique features of our prize money contributions is to encourage racecourses to ‘match-fund’; it is wonderful to see the model we pioneered and embedded, replicated by our fellow sponsors in these races.”

The EBF remains the leading sponsor of European racing and Kerry Murphy, European Breeders Fund CEO, points out, ”The EBF was set up over 40 years ago primarily to tackle the threat of less prize money in two-year-old maidens. With £3.5m total prize money and over 80 high value two-year-old and three-year-old races worth at least £30,000 from the end of March to October, there will be opportunities for all types. It is a great credit to all involved and, of course, all the British stallion farms that contribute to the EBF, and I hope will give owners and purchasers at the yearling sales plenty of incentives.” 

The full race list can be seen at:  

https://ebfstallions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2024-Development-Race-List-public.pdf

A 20-minute drive from Stansted Airport, Chelmsford City offers some tempting opportunities for runners from abroad. Not least is the Cardinal Condition Stakes on Saturday 6th April, a Class 2 race that is the last stop of the European Road to The Kentucky Derby, a “win and you’re in”. Run over a mile (1600m) and restricted to three-year-olds, the race is worth £100,000 (€116,953), with the winning horse receiving 30 points, ensuring a place at Churchill Downs. Second through to fifth place receive 12, 9, 6 and 3 points respectively.

“Last year Bold Act won for Charlie Appleby and he has since won a Grade 3 at Keeneland. The runner-up was the Archie Watson-trained Brave Emperor, who had won twice here as a two-year-old and he followed up with a Group 3 win in Germany next time out. Brave Emperor has since added three more Group wins and has just won the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, a local Group 2, at Doha. We are hopeful of seeing the Cardinal Condition Stakes upgraded to Listed status for next year, given the strength of the race,” says Neil Graham, Chelmsford City Racing Director.

Another imminent upgrade to hope for is the currently Listed Queen Charlotte Stakes over 7f (1400m) for fillies four-year-olds and up, run on Sunday 7th July, with prize money of £100,000 (€116,953). Graham points out, “Past winners include One Thousand Guineas heroine Billesdon Brook, Group 1 winner Highfield Princess and Soft Whisper, a subsequent Group 2 winner in Meydan. It comes a month before the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood and is good stepping stone, as Billesdon Brook showed. It is also Britain’s second-most valuable Listed race, behind only the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.”

The third of Chelmsford City’s feature races is the £80,000 (€93,595) Listed Chelmer Fillies Stakes over 6f (1200m) for three-year-old fillies, run Thursday 2nd May. “It’s a good option for the non-stayers and it’s a race that builds on quality year on year. Last year it was won by George Boughey’s Believing, who won a Group 3 at Chantilly on her next start,” says Graham.

“We work hard on promoting our feature races, which includes ensuring a high level of prize money, and we work closely with Adrian Beaumont at the International Racing Bureau to attract foreign runners. We look to offer travel incentives to runners from abroad and we consistently offer Class 6 prize money of £7,650 (€8,949) and £9,650 (€11,288) for Class 5 races, considerably more than any other All-Weather track in Britain. 

“We have 125 boxes built to the highest standard located in a quiet and secure yard, with ample room for parking and a fantastic team on hand. Paper or shavings are available.” 

“We are in the process of developing a Turf track for 2025 to open up further opportunities,” adds Graham, “and a month ago we were voted one of the Top 10 racecourses in Britain, which is a nice accolade to receive and a reflection of the excellent customer experience we offer.”

Overlooking the parade ring, the exclusive Owners and Trainers Bar provides a complimentary welcome drink and light refreshments. An additional facility for Owners and Trainers adjacent to the parade ring has a fully accessible glass-walled marquee and lawn, and there is also a dedicated viewing area in the main Grandstand, fully wheelchair accessible, for owners with runners on the day.

If it’s culture and tourism of most interest, a day at Ascot is always a highlight. This season, Ascot’s total prize money has risen to €20.4m (£17.5m) including Royal Ascot at €11.6m (£10m), with no Royal meeting race run for less than €128,688 (£110,000). Entry for Royal Ascot Group 1s is 30th April and for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 4th June.

Conditions for the Chesham Stakes (7f 2yo’s), traditionally run on the last day of the fixture, have been altered for 2024 - with horses no longer eligible to qualify via their dam’s performance. The race will return to a stallion only qualification as the race was prior to 2019 (sire must have won over 10f+).

Hannah Parlett, Owners and Trainers Manager, tells us, ”We have received an ROA Gold Standard again for our outstanding owners’ and trainers’ facilities here at Ascot, which include dining rooms overlooking the pre-parade ring in addition to a dedicated bar in the same area, along with a superb track facing facility. There are also two dedicated viewing areas.”  

Another ROA Gold Standard winner is Newbury, recognising Newbury’s continued efforts to enhance the on-course experience for owners. The OLBG Owners Club is close to the pre-parade ring beside the owners and trainers entrance. It is exclusively reserved for owners, with a private terrace. 

*Euro/Sterling rates Xe.com 07/03/2024

Have horse will travel - incentives to race in 2023

Article by Lissa Oliver

Fitness is one thing, but placing horses in suitable races to provide the best opportunity for them is quite possibly the trickiest part of a trainer’s role. It can be hard enough to search our own racing calendar for suitable races, and yet, delving further into international calendars could well pay dividends, if not in prize money then in adding valuable black type. Despite problems with travel, the racing world grows ever smaller, and it can certainly pay to shop around and look further afield. Many racecourses will offer travel incentives to encourage international participation, and the VIP experience for visiting owners will provide a lasting memory. 

France

Close to home and a regular destination for most European trainers, prize money in France rose to €278 million last year, up on 2021 by €30 million (+12%) and on 2019 by €20 million (7.75%). The 2023 France Galop budget includes a €10 million increase in prize money, with an objective to stimulate the number of young horses in training in France. 

As a result, 19 races at Parisian racecourses will see their total prize money raised to €50,000, paid out to the first seven finishers. The winner will earn €25,000, increased by 80% for two-year-olds if the winner is eligible for the owner's premium. The total sum of earnings to the winner could be €45,000. The selected 19 races take place throughout the year and include various distances. France Galop describes them as the most sought-after and competitive events for unraced horses in the French programme, with a consistent track record of producing a number of Group horses.

In the French provinces, two races for unraced horses have been selected to be included in this scheme. They are the Prix du Four à Chaux and the Prix Didier Vezia, which will be run in September at Bordeaux. Each race will offer a total prize money of €35,000; and the winner will earn €31,500 if eligible for the owner's premium. 

The increase in prize money has also been spread throughout maiden races, and races for unraced horses, across all of France. 

The new Arqana Series is also of interest to those racing in France - the sales company offering a series of races worth €1.2m (£1.06m), open only to the yearlings and foals offered at Arqana Sales in 2022 and the two-year-olds offered at the forthcoming Arqana May Breeze Up. The Arqana Series will consist of five races, for two-year-olds and three-year-olds (the latter run in 2024) on a Thursday evening during the prestigious Deauville meeting and on the Saturday of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend. Each race of the Arqana Series will reward both owners and vendors.

The juvenile races at Deauville will be run over 1400m (7f) for unraced horses and 1200m (6f) conditions, with a 2000m (10f) race in 2024 for three-year-olds. At ParisLongchamp, the two-year-old race will be a conditions race over 1600m (8f).

Of course, all races in France already carry a lucrative system of owners’ premiums on top of prize money. Two-year-olds and three-year-olds win an additional 80%, four and five-year-olds win an additional 55%, and six-year-olds and up receive an additional 45%. An additional 35% is paid to winners of Gp.1 races, whatever their age.

Germany

Deutsches Derby

Germany is still not yet back to the level of pre-Covid 2019, but significantly more prize money and bonuses were paid out in 2022 than in 2021 [€12.39m (£10.95m)], which will rise to €13m (£11.47m) in 2023. An increase of €2.15m (£1.90m) was recorded in prize money, and the average race value is higher than in previous years at €12,039/£10,651. The Deutsches Derby 2023 will be worth €650,000/£574,967, the Preis der Diana €500,000/£442,290, and the Grosser Preis von Baden worth €400,000/£ 353,985.

At smaller German tracks, the Harzburg meeting, 22–30 July, has significantly increased prize money for 2023, and the showcase handicaps carry €17,500/£15,475. The highlight of the meeting is the BBAG Auction Race worth €37,000/£32,683. "We want to support basic racing in particular," explains Racing Club President Stephan Ahrens, "because the costs of keeping horses have risen enormously. That is why we have increased the race values by up to 25%.” 

Scandinavia

Further afield for some, the full potential of Scandinavia has yet to be tapped, particularly the prize money on offer at Bro Park in Sweden. Bro Park covers 500 acres and has permanent stabling and training facilities, able to accommodate a further 100 horses on race days. The facilities provide the best possible environment for horses and those working with them. It is just over 30 minutes from the centre of Stockholm by car and a similar distance from Arlanda Airport.

Bro Park

Foreign raiders might be tempted by Sweden’s major race, the 2400m (12f) Gr3 Stockholm Cup for three-year-olds and up, at Bro Park on Sunday, 17 September—worth €125,825/£111,103. Earlier, on 11 June at Bro Park is the Gp.3 Stockholm Stora Pris, 1750m (8 1/2f) for three-year-olds and up— worth €89,882/£79,357. The Stockholm Cup card includes Sweden's most important two-year-old race, the 1400m (7f) Appel Au Maitre Svealandlöpning—worth €23,108/£20,424—and won by British trainer Archie Watson last year, who completed a double on the day.

On dirt, for three-year-olds and up, Jägersro hosts the 1750m (8 1/2f) Listed Pramms Memorial—worth €89,882/£79,357—21 May; the 2400m (12f) Svensk Derby—worth €223,869/£197,629,—16 July; and the €71,925/£63,509 Zawawi Cup over 1200m (6f), 16 July. Both Bro Park and Jägersro offer plenty of other opportunities at distances of 1200m (6f) up to 2400m (12f) with values ranging from €26,971/£23,809 up to €59,339/£52,386. 

In Norway, the 2400m (12f) Norsk Derby at Ovrevoll 20 August has a total value of €108,662/£96,067; and the 2400m (12f) Gp.3 Oslo Cup 15 June is worth €23,721/£20,973 to the winner. On 21 August, the Gp.3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop is run at Ovrevoll over 1800m (9f), carrying a first prize of €66,406/£58,724.

Let’s not forget Denmark, where the Gp.3 Scandinavian Open Championship for three-year-olds and up, over 2400m (12f) at Klampenborg on 27 May, is worth €57,545/£50,903, and a first prize of €31,967/£28,280. 

Spain

While there may not be high levels of prize money to chase on a regular basis in Spain, it is worth noting the major prizes in the Spanish calendar. The Listed Gran Premio de Madrid over 2500m (12 1/2f) at the end of June, for three-year-olds and up, is the major summer highlight, worth €68,000/£60,068 (€40,000/£35,330 to the winner; €16,000/£14,132 to the second; €8,000/£7,065 to the third; and €4,000/£3,532 to the fourth). 

In 2023, it will be run on Saturday, 24 June and is supported on the card by the Premio Baldoria for three-year-olds and older fillies and mares: over 1600m (8f), worth €15,000/£13,247 to the winner; €6,000/£5,299 to the second; €3,000/£2,649 to the third; and €1,500/£1,324 to the fourth.

August at San Sebastián sees the 1500m (7 1/2f) Premio Santander Cup (Criterium International) for two-year-olds, with prize money of €40,800/£36,018. The €59,500/£52,532 Gran Premio Copa De Oro De San Sebastián, over 2400m for three-year-olds and up, is the meeting highlight, worth €35,000/£30,900 to the winner; in addition to an impressive gold cup, €14,000/£12,360 goes to the second, €7,000/£6,180 to the third and €3,500/£3,090 to the fourth. On the supporting card is the Gran Premio Turismo Gobierno Vasco, 1600m (8f) for three-year-olds and up with a total prize of €40,800/£36,018. 

On Sunday, 15 October, the highlight of the Spanish season will be Champions Day, with a card that includes the Gran Premio Memorial Duque de Toledo over 2400m (12f) for three-year-olds and up, with a value of €68,000/£60,068 (€40,000/£35,330 to the winner, €16,000/£14,132 to the second, €8,000/£7,065 to the third and €4,000/£3,532 to the fourth). Also run on the day is the Gran Premio Ruban over 1200m (6f) worth €40,800/£36,018, with the winner taking home €24,000/£21,191, down to €2,400/£2,119 for fourth. A strong supporting card boasts lucrative added premiums of €5,000 for Spanish-breds.

Belgium

There are also opportunities for an average rated horse closer to home for some, in Belgium. As in Spain, the prize money might not be eye-catching, but neither is the competitiveness in comparison to similar races at home. The showpiece is the Prix Prince Rose, a National Listed Race over 2100m (10 1/2f) run at Ostend on Monday, 7 August with total prize money of €12,800/£11,304, with €8,000/£7,065 to the winner. The Prix Prince Rose is open to three-year-olds and older who have never been placed in the first five of a Pattern race. 
Ostend also hosts three interesting conditions races in July and August: the Miler Cup, 1600m (8f); the Prijs Half Oogst and BFG Galop, 1800m (9f); and the Prijs BFG and Nymphenburger, 2200m (11f)—each with a total prize money of €8,000/£7,065, with €5,000/£4,416 for the winner. They are for four-year-olds and older without a handicap value or a value equal or lower than 30kg (66 lbs). Penalties for prize money received for wins and places since 1 July 2023 are 1kg per €1,000. There is also the UAE Sprint Cup Handicap over 1000m (5f) in August for four-year-olds and older with a handicap value equal or lower than 30kg (66 lbs). See the complete list of races and conditions here: www.bgalopf.be/Meetings.htm

Britain

In Britain, the BHA, Darley and Juddmonte have come together to sponsor a high-value developmental races series of 60 races, also supported in funding by host racecourses, offering increased prize money to horses at the start of their career. As with the French developmental programme, the hope is that they will be retained to race in Britain going forward. The BHA hopes to expand on the idea of increasing the values of Flat maidens and novice races in 2024 and long-term. 

There will be 20 two-year-old restricted maiden and novice races worth €33,975/£30,000, supported by Juddmonte; 21 two-year-old open maiden and novice races worth €33,975/£30,000, supported by the BHA Development Fund; and 22 three-year-old and up open maiden and novice races worth €33,975–€56,626 (£30,000–£50,000), supported by Darley and the BHA Development Fund. The €56,626/£50,000 races will be run over longer distances to support middle-distance and staying horses.

Elsewhere in Britain, Newbury, having been infamously boycotted by trainers for one of its flat races last year, will see a 16% prize money increase this year, taking overall levels at the track to just over €6.79m/£6m. Newbury will host six novice and maiden races during the Flat season with prize money of €33,975 up to €56,626 (£30,000–£50,000).

The Racing League also returns for 2023, in which seven teams compete in 42 races over six meetings for over €2.2m/£2m prize money. The meetings for 2023 are Yarmouth 27 July, Chepstow 10 August, Windsor 17 August, Newcastle 31 August, Wolverhampton 7 September and Southwell 13 September. All races are handicaps with a range of ratings bands and distances, with normal BHA distribution for race prize money.

As with Arqana, British racing is boosted by the sponsorship of sales company Tattersalls, targeting yearlings purchased at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale, who will be eligible for the 1200m (6f) €112,826/£100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes run at Newmarket 26 August, as well as the 1200m (6f) €169,242/£150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes, Newmarket 5 October.

Charlie Appleby-trained Regal Honour broke his maiden in the 2022 Stephen Rowley Remembered Novice Stakes at Newmarket to collect the 312th £20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus.

The Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes, 1200m (6f) on 24 August at York carries a guaranteed minimum value of €394,092/£350,000, for two-years-olds sold at the 2022 Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale.

Tattersalls also offer the €22,684/£20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus Scheme for 2023. Participating owners will receive a €22,684/£20,000 bonus if their 2022 October Book 1 purchase wins a Class 2, 3 or 4 two-year-old maiden or novice race in Britain between 1 April and 11 November 2023, or any 'Open' two-year-old maiden run in Ireland between 25 March and 5 November 2023. The cost to enter the €22,684/£20,000 Tattersalls October ‘Book 1 Bonus’ Scheme is €1,928/£1,700, and there are over 300 qualifying British and Irish two-year-old maiden and novice races. All yearlings sold, bought in or failing to meet their reserve at Book 1 of the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are eligible.

Ireland 

Tattersalls are also major sponsors in Ireland, with the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes of €300,000/£265,889, worth €150,000/£132,942 to the winner and prize money of at least €5,000/£4,431 down to 10th. Over 1200m (6f) at the Curragh, it is of course limited to those yearlings sold at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and the Tattersalls Ireland Sapphire Sale in November 2022.

Tattersalls also continues to support the first two Irish Classics and Gp.1 Tattersalls Gold, as well as enhanced owners’ and trainers’ facilities at the Curragh. The Irish 1000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas will each have prize money of €500,000/£443,081, while the Tattersalls Gold Cup will increase in value to €450,000/£398,754.

Goffs also continue to be major sponsors in Ireland, supporting premier National Hunt and Flat races. The Goffs Sportsman Challenge Day at Naas, 14 September 2023, will be a mid-week all juvenile card featuring the 1200m (6f) €100,000/£88,653 Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge, a two-year-old race exclusive to yearlings purchased at the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale. Prize money also goes to the first 10 finishers.

Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the 1400m (7f) Goffs Million, run at the Curragh 23 September 2023, is for graduates of the Goffs Orby Sale (2022)  and is worth €500,000/£443,081 to the winner, down to €10,000/£8,869 for 10th.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) saw a number of restorations to prize money levels last year and an increase in funding for the IRE Incentive Scheme for breeders, which grew from €1.1m (£0.97m) paid out in 2021 as vouchers to be spent on Irish-bred horses at Irish sales, to €1.3m (£1.14m) last year. It will again provide €1.3m (£1.14m) in vouchers for 2023.

HRI’s commitment to ensuring the quality of racing is also extended to grassroots level, with a targeted increase of €1.7m (£1.5m) to prize money levels, bringing 2023 to €68.6m (+2.5%) (£60.58m).

“Prize money is a key enabler in building and maintaining the number of quality horses in training in Ireland,” says Suzanne Eade, chief executive of HRI. “Approximately 70% of horses competing [in Ireland] receive some prize money, so it is important that we prioritise its growth…in order to sustain the significant rural jobs created by the industry.” 

European Breeders’ Fund

Throughout Europe, the European Breeders Fund (EBF), with national representation in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, continues to be one of the largest sponsors of races. Only the progeny of EBF registered stallions and horses nominated to the EBF can enter these races, but of course they are free to run in any EBF race throughout Europe.

The European Breeders’ Fund celebrates its 40 th year of operation in 2023 and in that time has contributed over €130m to prize money throughout Europe. The emphasis is on the two-year-old programme and fillies races, and there are valuable opportunities to be found. The EBF regularly reviews where the funds are best directed and is a vital support to both racing and bloodstock industries.

Highlights of the EBF support in 2023:

Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes €200,000 minimum at Naas, August

British EBF 2yo series £100,000 finals at Goodwood and York, September and October

Criterium FEE €130,000 Deauville, August

Italy is recovering from difficult times and this season there will be four EBF-sponsored races with an added €2,000/£1,766 to the winner if EBF qualified.

In France, the EBF (FEE) will pay out over €1m into prize money, with over €200,000 in premiums for fillies Listed Races, and over €500,000 for two and three-year-old maidens, debutants and conditions races in both Paris and the regions.

The British EBF will in 2023 invest around €2.27m (£2m) for both Flat and National Hunt and the Irish EBF current investment has increased from €2.6m (£2.25m) to €2.7m (£2.38m), making Irish Stallion Farms EBF the largest sponsor of racing in Ireland. This year all Listed Fillies races in Ireland will be sponsored by Irish EBF and will run for a minimum of €50,000/£44,000 and all other Listed races will run for a minimum of €40,000/£35,000. Highlights include the 26-race Median Sires Series, each worth a minimum €25,000/£22,000, for horses by a sire with a median fee of €75,000/£66,045 or less. The €200,000/£177,506 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes has the same conditions and is the showcase, run over 1000m (5f) at Naas 7 August. The 24-race Irish EBF Auction Series for two-year-olds worth a minimum €20,000/£17,750 each has two finals, worth €120,000/£10,5672. Horses must have been bought at auction for €72,000/£63,403 or less.

*Euros converted to sterling at XE rate 03/03/2023

Sarah Steinberg - One of Germany’s up-and-coming trainers

Article by Catrin Nack

Compared with leading European racing nations, Germany's figures are very small indeed. Roughly 2200 horses, trained by 70 licensed trainers are trained here. With a big chunk trained by a chosen few – think Marcus Klug, Henk Grewe, Andreas Wöhler or Peter Schiergen – the numbers for smaller stables become smaller still. 

Few trainers train more than 100 horses at the best of times; the ‘powerhouse’ yards with 150+ or even 200+ horses – which are so common nowadays in England, Ireland and France – are simply non-existent in a racing country constantly boxing above its weight. 

As does Sarah Steinberg, no pun intended. 

Sarah Steinberg´s official training list comprises 26 horses, three of which are her own. This is small even by local standards. Sarah Steinberg makes no excuses: “I do not want to train more than 35 anyway.” Small, but brimming with quality, it is quality horses that she strives to train. “My owners do not want runners in low (rated) handicaps, and for them I do not want that either. We think big and aim big”

Steinberg is a salaried trainer, employed by the RTC Rennpferde Trainings-Center GmbH. The name behind the entity is that of Hans-Gerd Wernicke, a 93-year-old manufacturer of quality sleeping systems. 

His company Wenatex was founded in Salzburg, and it is under that name that his horses race. Stall Salzburg has 13 horses in training – thus comprising 50% of Steinberg’s inmates. 

A further five are owned by Brümmerhof Stud, a major owner-breeder and supporter of German racing. Famous as the breeder of Danedream – and infamous for selling her early in her 2yo season - Brümmerhofs Gregor Baum just closed his own private training facility in Hannover. His link to Sarah Steinberg could well point to her future. But let's look back into her already remarkable journey in racing before we dare to look into the future. 

Sarah Steinberg is 34 years old, with no family ties in racing whatsoever. Her aunt kept Arabian horses, and early memories consist of watching the Germany Derby on TV; but she can’t recall her first Derby winner, “I wasn’t really interested, and I certainly did not catch fire early on.” Animals – horses and dogs – were part of her upbringing; and while circumstances were traumatic, the following story is early proof of the unusual dedication and commitment to the creature. “My father had a very serious accident. He was hospitalised for months and had to spend long weeks in rehabilitation after. This meant I had to look after the 30 Huskies (we owned) for more than a year, otherwise they would have been given away.” Steinberg was just eight years old. 

She was given a holiday on a pony farm for a job well done after, and it was then that her fascination for horses took root. 

Her education with horses was classic and western style. Racing came into her life by default rather than design. Yet again, it certainly wasn’t love at first sight.

With her parents pressing for a solid education, her growing passion for horses got in the way. A small local permit holder with eight horses – Steinberg had answered an advert in a local (non-racing) paper – could not provide the structure they desired. 

But Germany's formal education system – even in racing – led to a visit to Cologne, still the administrative centre of German Racing. Here she was taken on by Andreas Trybuhl, son of a racing family and the first proper trainer who spotted her talent. Steinberg was on her way. 

Well, sort of. It wasn´t that Deutscher Galopp had waited for a young female rider, with fancy ideas at that. Steinberg rode in a couple of races. Nineteen rides and two wins are hardly the stuff of legends. She then plied her trade as a work-rider — in big yards.

Leaving Trybuhl, she worked for Peter Schiergen, had a short stint with Marcus Klug and was riding out for Jens Hirschberger when he trained Adlerflug. But Steiberg was still ‘just’ a work-rider nonetheless. 

When the opportunity came, Steinberg grabbed it with both hands. Enter Hans-Gerd Wernicke. By the time their paths crossed, Wernicke had been an owner for nine years, with group performer Poseidon Adventure and the wonderful Gp1 winner Night Magic – both trained in Munich by Wolfgang Figge.

Figge retired at the end of the 2015 season, and Wernicke was on the lookout for a new trainer. Again, it was an advert that changed the course of Steinberg’s life. 

“I thought I really had nothing to lose. But I had nothing to recommend me either – no references, no proper job description to boost. After all, I was only a work-rider.” Wernicke liked what he read – liked even better what he heard when Steinberg detailed her ideas about training and didn’t ponder for long. It didn’t take Steinberg long to prove just how good of a choice she had been, either. 

It wasn’t that Wernicke approached his new, young trainer with starry eyes. He was prepared to give her a chance, but at first it was with horses for whom she was second choice – horses from other yards, who for whatever reason didn’t, or couldn’t, fulfil their potential. 

Night Wish, in March 2016, was her first winner as a fully fledged trainer; he was only the second starter she sent out. Better was to come when Night Wish again read the script and became her first pattern scorer when taking the Grand Prix de Vichy (Gp3) later that year. 

In seven full seasons Steinberg has now, at home and abroad, trained 124 winners, 14 of them Group winners. This year she operated at a nearly 30% winner-to-starter ratio in her native Germany. She has trained a Classic winner in Fearless King (German 2000 Guineas, Gp2) – the first female trainer to do so in Germany – and Mendocino, was her first Gp1 winner, when scoring in German´s most prestigious open-age Gp1, the Großer Preis von Baden this past September. 

Trainers simply do not come more hands-on than Sarah Steinberg. She rides six lots a day, she grooms, and she drives the horsebox. She even, unique among her peers, leads up nearly all her charges. 

Finding good staff is a challenge even she cannot resolve, but Steinberg is the first to admit she isn’t easy to work for either. “I expect a lot and cannot tolerate mediocrity. I had to learn that I simply cannot expect employees to work as hard as I do.” 

Invaluable assistance comes in the shape of René Piechulek, of Torquator Tasso-fame. The jockey's rise to fame is worth its own chapter, but he started riding out for Steinberg at the end of 2017, becoming attached to Stall Salzburg in the process. 

With no chances of foreign jockeys, COVID accelerated his rise to salaried stable jockey. And he did become attached, quite literally, to Sarah Steinberg as well; they are life partners now. 

“René is invaluable – simply irreplaceable to the yard; I simply could not do it without him. I am the trainer after all, he does as I tell him, but I would be lost without his feedback.” For Steinberg, training horses is a mission. With her background in classic riding, it is small wonder that above-average riding skills are essential for her staff. 

“Horses need to use their backs, and they can only do this if they bend their necks properly. So much damage is done when horses do not use themselves right.” 

On average, her horses are ridden about an hour a day, with an additional four hours spent in one of the six (four grass) paddocks. Daily, that is. 

With few exceptions, racehorses in Germany are trained directly on the racecourse – Munich in Steinberg´s case – a base she cannot praise highly enough. 

Crucially, Munich´s training centre is right next to the track itself with long and well-maintained grass and sand gallops, and with only a handful of trainers sharing those facilities. 

Wernicke's generous approach and competitive nature developed just what Steinberg wanted in their own stables. “I really have everything I need; it’s top class. I have my private trotting ring; there is a covered hall. I have a salt box, which I use to great effect, and two solariums. The open country next to the training tracks is another plus; we have choices and can give the horses a change of scenery.” 

She works closely with her trusted vets and a chiropractor, not to mention a top-class farrier. Conveniently, the RTC GmbH comes with a racing secretary too, so the time Steinberg has to spend in the office is very limited indeed. 

“Really, I would never want to work self-employed. My system simply would not work with all those pressures attached.” Individuality is the key. “Of course, the basic work is the same for all horses, but the individuality starts creeping in once horses start showing their quirks. We love to get to the bottom of problems and want to bring the best out of every horse in our care.” 

Remarkably, three of her 26 inmates have a German GAG (rating) of 90 or higher – roughly 106 plus in International ratings. Nowadays, Steinberg is responsible for selecting youngsters at the sales. Wernicke is a racing man and not a breeder. 

The stable's flagbearer for the last couple of years has been the above-mentioned Mendocino, bred by Brümmerhof Stud and a son of the late Adlerflug. 

Selected by Steinberg, he represents all she looks for in a horse. “I look at horses, not pedigrees. In fact, I couldn’t care less about the breeding. I need to see the horse's personality. I try to read their eyes, and how they play with their ears tell me something too. They need to be alert – lively. I don’t like the docile ones. A shorter back and strong back hands are essential to me, but I can forgive small mistakes if I feel the attitude is right. After all, it's all down to their character and their will to win.” 

Offspring of the much missed sire Adlerflug, present their own challenges, but in Mendocino, Steinberg has found a horse of a lifetime. 

The now 5yo has won three races from 11 starts and has provided Steinberg with that all-important win at the highest level, and he did take his team to Paris Longchamp on the first Sunday in October. 

“I am accredited as his ‘lass’ and ride him myself every morning.” She rejects the notion that surely she will not lead him up when competing in a big race. 

“Of course I will,” she muses. Steinberg has lost count of the winner´s ceremonies she missed because of her role as a ‘lass’ – something Wernicke had learned to accept. “He was a bit miffed when I kept skipping the ceremonies because I wanted to be with the horse after the race, so I pointed out that it's better to have those winners and no trainer, or not so fast horses. He can see the humorous side now.” 

The whip-debate and animal welfare put extra pressure on German racing. Steinberg has a clear view on both: “The whip is essential – a life-saver for riders. With the short stirrups, we need it to correct but never to abuse. We need strict rules and even stricter penalties. As for animal welfare, I am in the game because I like horses – we all do. We like them, and we want the best. Performance is no cruelty to horses, and I firmly believe the majority of racehorses couldn’t be better cared for. There are black sheep in all walks of life, and much more must be done to educate about the good work that is done away from the public eye.” 

Steinberg is realistic enough to wonder what the future holds, even though Wernicke shows no signs of stopping. The recent trip to Hong Kong (with Mendocino) came at  Wernicke’s insistence and was Germany's sole representative. 

There is no happy ending to report, as Mendocino proved worth his billing as a “character.” After behaving beautifully in the preliminaries, he reared in the starting stalls and refused to jump with the field – the first time he has shown such antics. But Steinberg wouldn’t be Steinberg if she wouldn’t rise to this challenge too.

Investing in All Weather racing

Article by Catrin Nack

The European ‘all-weather’ racing scene has come a long way since racing on an artificial (non-turf) surface was first introduced in the UK at Lingfield Park in 1989. Today, ‘all-weather’ racing accounts for 23% of the French racing programme; and in the UK, racing has recently benefited from a major ‘all-weather’ prize money boost.

‘All-weather’ racing is enhancing the opportunities for those connections wishing to keep horses in training across Europe over the winter months.

But what are opportunities like on a country by country basis? Which countries are investing in ‘all-weather’ racing?

France 

While trotting is still the main racing sphere by some way in France – and all their racing is on dirt tracks – all-weather in France has been gathering momentum for over a decade now. Of roughly 5,000 races run in France in 2021, 1,149 were staged on an all-weather surface, thus comprising some 23% of the race program. 

Prestigious tracks such as Deauville and Chantilly have all-weather circuits; in total there are seven all-weather tracks in the country: Deauville, Chantilly, Pornichet, Lyon-la-Soie, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Pau and Marseille-Vivaux.

In contrast to other racing nations, where usually the whole raceday will take place on one surface, French tracks have mixed cards and use the all-weather (all with a Polytrack surface) in summer also.

While diversifying the programme, it also takes pressure off the grass tracks, with rising temperatures in southern Europe providing new challenges in turf maintenance. French racing has eight Listed races run on its all-weather surfaces, Cagnes-Sur-Mer stage two, Chantilly one and five at Deauville. A review to enhance the Black-type programme is on the way, but plans are in the very early stages. French tracks are part of the All-Weather Championships programme to qualify for the finals on Good Friday in the UK – something French raiders did to good effect in 2022. 

French racing receives the majority of its income – read prize money – from its betting turnover, as the PMU (the French Tote) has a monopoly on betting. The rise in all-weather racing has naturally seen a rise in betting turnover in this sphere – roughly 18% of all PMU-flat races are run on the all-weather circuit. Recent results suggest that the betting public is gradually switching from traditional jump-races to all-weather racing. 

According to Adrien Cugnasse, all-weather racing also caters well for a new type of owner. With syndicates still very scarce in France, a new type of ‘middle class’ owner has been emerging over the last couple of years – much needed new blood, but a type of owner that relies on a more regular income through prize money. 

UK

It's Year 10 since the creation of Arena Racing Company (ARC) backed All-Weather Championships, and racing on this surface does continue to increase in volume. Six racecourses in Britain stage all-weather racing, on either Polytrack (Lingfield, Kempton, Chelmsford) or Tapeta (Newcastle, Southwell, Wolverhampton); roughly one fifth of all flat races are now on a synthetic surface.  

Huge investments have been made by the operator ARC across their four all-weather racecourses to improve the surface. With Southwell being the latest course to convert to a Tapeta surface (from Fibresand).

Mark Spincer, managing director of ARC’s Racing Division says that “changing the surface, particularly at Southwell, was the right thing to do and the feedback from trainers and owners has been very positive so far.” 

The creation of the All-Weather Championships 10 years ago can only be viewed as a major success story; the series now incorporates races from Ireland, France, Dubai and even races in Saudi Arabia, as well as the enhanced Fast-Track-Qualifying system. 

The switch of Finals day from Lingfield to Newcastle two years ago was followed by the creation of “All-Weather Vase Day” at Lingfield Park last year, also staged on Good Friday. 

A day that traditionally saw no racing at all now has two high-profile all-weather meetings taking place – a definite illustration of the rise of racing on this surface. Along with geographically diverse racing in the north and the south, All-Weather Vase Day naturally comes with added prize money, the whole raceday is worth around £390,000. 

No fast-track-qualifying here, but at least three runs are needed akin to Finals Day, thus creating additional incentive to run on the all-weather. Even the quickest of glances at any given fixture list on the all-weather does reveal the extent to which these races are contested now; with even the choicest-bred horses from big yards coming under starters orders. 

While headline names to race synthetic surface will forever include the mighty Enable and Stradivarius, Godolphin recently raced a half-brother to Guineas hero Coroebus to name just one. Tracks learn about the adaptability of the surface all the time, with the recent extreme temperatures providing a new challenge. “Without all-weather racing, there wouldn’t have been any racing in the recent cold snap,” remarks Mark Spincer.

2022 saw two ARC initiatives to increase the quality of racing their tracks, one of those aimed specifically for (winter) all-weather racing. The mother company of Lingfield Park, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton announced a further bonus of over £1,000,000 not just added to prize money, but to reward connections of the most consistent performers during the winter months. 

“While it is early days, some eagle-eyed trainers have already seen the chance to bag a bonus, of course we would love to attract more horses and their connections to our four all-weather tracks. We know that, for many, jump-racing is the winter focus in the UK, but all-weather racing during this period has a wide fan base both domestically and abroad,” concludes Spincer.

Coinciding with the exact timeframe of the All-Weather Championships, the bonus aims to reward consistency in given periods, no matter what the rating of the horse. Points scored go towards a “Horse of the Month” prize with rising extra money paid out from February onwards as well as £700,000 in bonuses for the horses with the most points at the end of the season.

The scheme clearly aims to enhance field sizes. Giving trainers, owners, jockeys as well as stable staff monetary reasons to race on at ARC tracks. 

Germany

Germany's all-weather racing scene was quite vibrant at the end of the last century, but it has been in steady decline for some time now. 

In 2019, Neuss racecourse closed its doors for the last time, and along with 144 years of turf racing went the second of the all-weather tracks. 

Winter racing is now taking place at Dortmund racecourse only. Dortmund has a grass and an all-weather track, thus providing racing literally all year round. 

However, the all-weather surface is a dirt track, Germany does not have any tracks with an artificial surface. The surface has not been renewed for some time now and has a huge kickback. 

Racing takes place on roughly 14-day intervals, at time of writing eight meetings are planned this winter. Races are part of the French PMU funding and receive other subsidiaries. Generally, there are six-race-cards, the quality being no better than class 3 handicaps – Germany's second lowest class, with some sellers thrown in for good measure. 

Prize money is at basic level for these types of races, meaning total purses per race do not exceed €5.500. Broadly speaking, all-weather racing in Germany caters for the very base level of the sport, with major trainers and owners very rarely venturing into this sphere.

Racing on the sand does count towards the Trainer and Jockey Championships in Germany, and this might lure the odd runner from the bigger stables. Plans for a second track with a synthetic surface have been mulled over by Deutscher Galopp for some time, but along with the general dire financial situation of racing in Germany, it remains only a very distant possibility at the moment. 

Ireland

All-weather racing finally reached Ireland in 2007 with the remodelling and re-opening of Dundalk Stadium. It’s the only track in Europe to combine horses and dog-racing and judging by online reviews. This has been a huge success with fun-loving Dubliners. 

From October till March, the track stages some 43 meetings, with at least once a week racing – mainly on a Friday night with floodlight and dog-racing following. Racing on the Polytrack continues sporadically throughout the year. 

While the quality of handicaps is clearly not premium class, the track does stage a fair share of quite decent 2yo and 3yo maiden races, and these are contested by even the biggest yards in the country.

In addition, Dundalk stages two Gp.3 and three Listed races. Plans for the second Irish all-weather track have been developing for a number of years now, with planning permission for a new track at Tipperary expected to go ahead in early 2023. 

This clearly points to an ever-increasing demand to stage flat racing all year round, largely independent from weather influences. In fact, many races on Dundalk's cards continue to be oversubscribed and operate with reserves – a further pointer to huge demand. 

Smaller yards definitely target horses for Dundalk races and have owners who buy horses for this sphere. While larger yards may pick and choose their races at Dundalk, smaller trainers rely on the extra income to keep the yard going through the long winter months. 

As jump-racing starts losing its tag of catering for the ‘small man,’ the domination of just a few trainers and owners is becoming more and more blatant by the year. All-weather racing gives a different type of trainer and owner a new lease of racing life. 

With added entertainment around the product, Dundalk has created a largely vibrant scene; being in a prime spot no doubt helps, but all-weather racing with regular consistency is clearly a success story in Irish racing. 

New Spanish beach race festival unveiled at meeting in Germany

Article by Paull Khan

There will be a spanking new venue for official beach racing in Spain this year when the Andalucian village of Zahara de los Atunes opens its doors to thoroughbred racing on Saturday October 29th, the middle day of an attraction-packed three-day beach festival, bookended by jazz concerts and polo. Long known for its beach-bar music scene, horseracing will now be used in Zahara in an attempt to prolong the tourist season in this southernmost part of Spain until the end of October. 

The Costa de la Luz now boasts two beach tracks, with the venerable Sanlucar de Barrameda an hour-and-a-half drive up the coast.

Zahara’s stunning straight beach will accommodate races between 1400m/7f and 1800m/9f. 

Plans for the Zahara festival were unveiled at this year’s annual meeting of the European Beach Racing Association, which took place in Cuxhaven, on Germany’s north seacoast. Delegates had been privileged to witness the famed Duhner-Wattrennen races, which have been staged on the vast beach for the past 120 years. An attentive and happy-paying crowd of 13,000 attended this year’s renewal, despite poor weather. The programme was varied, with trotting (mounted and sulky) and gallop races for warmbloods in addition to thoroughbred racing. 

Cuxhaven is unique among beach racetracks in that the horses race through a shallow covering of standing water. The resultant spray, from the horses’ hooves and the wheels of the patrol vehicle, creates its own spectacle. The races are recognised as a powerful tourist attraction—a national minister attended and addressed the launch party before proceedings began.

200 years of horse racing in Germany

Words - Lissa Oliver

Horseracing is the oldest organised sport in Germany and this year it celebrates a major milestone. The very first thoroughbred race in Germany took place in Doberan, on the Baltic Sea, 10 August 1822, this summer marking the 200th anniversary. Around 30 racing clubs have organised a total of 136 race days to mark the celebration.

German-bred racehorses are recognised internationally for their stamina and soundness, which is no accident and links directly to that historic day in Doberan. Breeding selection and breed improvement through tests of performance remains a mandate of the Animal Breeding Act, with the retirement of stallions to stud strictly governed. 

Organised racing in Germany was very quickly established. As early as 13 August of the same year, 1822, the Doberan Racing Club was founded, the first of the racing clubs created to oversee the contests. The Berlin Racing Club followed in 1828 and by the 1830s numerous new clubs had been formed across the country.

Today, the Düsseldorf Equestrian and Racing Club has the proud boast of being Germany’s oldest continuously existing racing club, founded in 1844, and in April Düsseldorf racecourse had the honour of hosting the first of the anniversary celebrations.

Another major milestone followed when, in 1858, the French casino owner Edouard Bénazet had the racecourse built in Iffezheim near Baden-Baden. Ten years later, Emperor Wilhelm I attended the official opening of the Hoppegarten racecourse in Berlin, 17 May 1868, which quickly developed into one of the most important racecourses in Europe. 

The oldest continuous race in Germany is the Union Race, first held in 1834. Created as a supreme test for three-year-olds it was eventually relegated by the Deutsches Derby. The Norddeutsches Derby, as it was originally known, was established at Hamburg in 1869, becoming the now-familiar Deutsches Derby in 1889. During the wars it was staged at Grunewald in 1919, Hoppegarten in 1943 and 1944, Munich in 1946 and Cologne in 1947. The great Königsstuhl, in winning the Henckel-Rennen, Deutsches Derby and St-Leger in 1979, remains the only horse to win the German Triple Crown.

The first commercial German bookmakers sprang up in the middle of the 19th century and, following the French model, a totaliser was set up in Berlin in 1875. From 1905 to 1922 bookmaker bets were banned in Germany, but since then the Tote and bookmakers have been competing with each other.

The early part of the 20th century saw racing clubs springing up as vigorously as the grass and in 1912 there were more than 100 racecourses in Germany. Obviously, world events saw that blossoming situation change drastically. The First World War represented a turning point in the fate of German racing, but it was the Second World War that had a lasting and damaging impact.

Appropriately, racing returned to West Germany after the war years on 12 August 1945 at Leipzig, but in the German Democratic Republic racing became, at best, a marginal sport. Hoppegarten was nationalised and one of only six racecourses hosting racing.

It was a brighter new start in the West and the racing season resumed in full at Munich in April 1946. A steady resurgence followed, and Cologne developed into the leading training centre, while Hamburg remained the home of the Deutsche Derby. 

As with other European racing nations there was little change in the ensuing years, but 1980 marked another significant milestone when Dortmund became the first all-weather track in Europe, for the first time making winter racing under floodlights possible.

Following the reunification of Germany, racing came more into focus with the public and Berlin’s Hoppegarten, in particular, enjoyed renewed popularity. In 2021, the Group 1 LONGINES 131st Grand Prix of Berlin received great international recognition when it was included in the top 100 of the world's best races. However, it is Baden-Baden that is regarded as the leading German racecourse, in terms of betting turnover and also from a sporting, social and international viewpoint, staging popular meetings in spring, summer and autumn.

As already mentioned, the breeding of German thoroughbreds has always been carefully regulated to ensure continuing success. The German breeding industry began around 1800, originally in Mecklenburg.  In 1842 the first Deutsche Stud Book was published. It contained 242 breeders who between them kept 779 broodmares. Less than 10% had more than 10 mares. This has hardly changed to this day; there are only a few large stud farms, but many breeders with only one or two mares. Currently, about 460 breeders have around 1,300 broodmares.

One of the great traditional studs is the Prussian State Stud in Graditz, near Leipzig, founded in 1668 and already dedicated solely to thoroughbred breeding by the first half of the 19th century. Twelve Derby winners were raised there from 1886 (Potrimpos) to 1937 (Abendfrieden) and Graditz-produced horses were esteemed to the extent that there were times when they had to carry additional weight to give their rivals a better chance. 

The oldest private stud farm is Gestüt Schlenderhan near Cologne, founded in 1869 by Baron von Oppenheim. From 1908 to the present day, Schlenderhan has bred 19 Deutsches Derby winners, most recently In Swoop in 2020. A great example of the success of small-scale German breeders is, of course, 2021 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso, bred by Paul H. Vandeberg from his only mare, Tijuana; herself from Schlenderhan breeding.

The 200th anniversary of German racing is being celebrated across the country, with commemorative stamps produced by Deutsches Post. The highlight will be the festivities at Berlin-Hoppegarten racecourse from 12 to 14 August. The three-day anniversary meeting opens with an official ceremony at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin and on Saturday evening, 13 August, the Hoppegarten racecourse invites everyone to a big anniversary party. Details available at: 

Milestones in gallop racing - German gallop (deutscher-galopp.de)

Yasmin Almenräder - a rising star in German racing

By David Conolly-Smith

The middle-sized town of Mülheim an der Ruhr (population 170,000) is, as the name implies, situated on the river Ruhr which gives its name to the whole area. It is north of Düsseldorf, the capital of the state of North-Rhine-Westphalia—Germany´s most populous “land”. It is located just south of the industrial centres of Essen and Duisburg.

It is also an important racing and training centre. There has been thoroughbred racing here since the 19th century, but the current racecourse, known as the Raffelberg, was built in 1910. Despite damage through fires and flooding, and even more by bombing during World War II, the track thrived and was one of the most important in western Germany for the last half of the past century. In particular, two local trainers scored spectacular successes. Uwe Ostmann trained here from 1985 to 2013, and his Diana stable, where the principal owner was Gestüt Auenquelle, owned by Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, also boss of the sales company BBAG; and Peter Michael Endres, also president of the race club at Düsseldorf. Ostmann—still hale and hearty at the age of 80—was one of the top addresses in Germany for a quarter of a century, winning the German Derby with Luigi in 1988 and the Preis von Europa in 1995 with Gonbarda. Gonbarda was later sold to Godolphin and dam of Champion Stakes winner and top sire Farhh, as well as just about every important race in the German calendar. Later arriving on the scene was the colourful Werner Baltromei, who enjoyed a meteoric career before his tragic death from cancer at the age of 49 in 2012. Baltromei was the first German trainer to target the top French races, and from his Mülheim base he sent out such stars as Le Miracle (winner of the Prix du Cadran in 2007, and also third in the Ascot Gold Cup) as well as Lady Marian (winner of the Prix de l´Opera in 2008).

Those were great days for Mülheim both as a training centre and a racecourse, but there were also black clouds on the horizon. A golf course was built there, opening in 2000, and there was soon a great deal of friction between the golfers and the race club, which was gradually falling on hard times. It lost its two best races—the Gp1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks), which moved to Düsseldorf in 2004, and the Preis der Winterkönigin, Germany's top race for 2yo fillies, which is now run at Baden-Baden´s October meeting. For about a decade, Mülheim only staged three days of racing a year and these only at a very low level. The old race club finally gave up the ghost and declared insolvency in 2017.

A new race club was formed later that year; the new president was Gestüt Auenquelle´s Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, and the new committee included prominent owners Hans Bierkämper (Stall Mandarin) and Werner Krüger (UNIA Racing), while Günter Gudert, previously at Hamburg and then Düsseldorf, took over as clerk of the course and racecourse manager. At the time Bierkämper was 77, Ellerbracke and Krüger were both 74 and Gudert 69; however, they had plenty of youthful idealism and ambitious ideas; and they were prepared to back up these ideas with the necessary funds. Huge investments were made in bringing the facilities at the racecourse and in the training centre up to the highest modern standards. Even in the relatively short period that the new team has been in charge, it is clear that this investment has paid off massively.

There has been a huge upswing in the fortunes of both the racecourse and the training centre. There were seven race days in both 2019 and 2020 (despite the ravages of COVID-19). Mülheim has restored their highly successful winter fixtures, in particular their Boxing Day fixture (December 26) was traditionally extremely popular, attracting Kempton-like crowds (not in 2020, alas) and is now reactivated. This is all the more welcome since the future of racing at Neuss, one of Germany's two all-weather tracks, looks highly doubtful, to say the least. They have also succeeded in bringing back black type racing to Mülheim, with the listed Diana-Trial in July and the listed Silbernes Band der Ruhr, Germany's longest flat race, in October.

Racecourse facilities are much improved, and the racing surface is now one of the best in Germany. The training centre has also surged into the kind of prominence it previously enjoyed more than 20 years ago. When the new race club took over, there were fewer than 100 horses in training at Mülheim; now there are well over 200, and still counting. It is now the second largest training centre in the country, after Cologne.

“In my opinion, the training facilities at Mülheim are now the best of any German racecourse,” says 46-year-old Yasmin Almenräder, who has herself contributed a great deal to this success story.

Yasmin with German Derby hopeful Nacido.

The youngest of three sisters, she was born in nearby Essen and grew up in a horsey, but not racing, family. Her father, a car dealer, was a passionate rider and a successful show jumper and three-day-eventer. There were always horses about the place, and Yasmin “could ride before she could walk,” as she puts it. Her mother worked in advertising but also rode dressage. They were all great animal lovers, and her father always impressed on his daughters the principle: “Animals always come first, and human beings second,” Sadly, her father died when she was 16, and the family moved later to Verden in northern Germany, a leading equestrian centre. A typical horse-mad teenager, she was soon riding out for local trainers. The same year, she qualified as an amateur jockey; her first winner came in 1992 on a horse named Figiell at the small country track of Großenkneten for permit-holder Heiko Kienemann. She had just turned 18, and she went on to ride some 50 winners, including a FEGENTRI race in Canada.

While the family was living in Wuppertal, Yasmin had started riding regular work for top Cologne trainer Bruno Schütz. “I had to leave home at 4 a.m. to take the train, and I did so several times a week, therefore often missing school. In the end, the school complained to my mother that I was spending too much time on horseback and too little time in class; so I had to concentrate more on schoolwork.” However it was at this time that she really fell in love with thoroughbred horses and also first considered the idea of making racing her profession. In 1995, at 21, she received her licence as a permit-holder, i.e., training exclusively horses owned by herself or her immediate family. In fact, it was mainly for her mother, and she succeeded in winning a few races, often ridden by herself.

Trainer Werner Baltromei.

From 1998 to 2000, she worked for Michael Trybuhl in Mülheim, in fact in the same stable where she now trains. In 2006, she qualified; that was a good year for German racing. Her course also included Markus Klug (four-time champion trainer in Germany) and Frenchman Jean-Pierre Carvalho, usually known as “Chippi”, who is now her nextdoor neighbour. At the time she was pregnant with her daughter Lisa-Sophie, now 12; the father, from whom she is long since separated, is an IT engineer designing websites for bookmakers. In 2009, she finally received her full licence as a public trainer. In the meantime, Werner Baltromei had succeeded Michael Trybuhl at the Mülheim yard, and she was his head lad until his sad death in 2012. His widow Christina took over the yard and installed ex-jockey William Mongil as trainer. That did not work out well, and he left a couple of years later. Yasmin Almenräder finally took over the stable in 2014, originally as Christina´s employee but since 2018, she has been her own boss and has formed a limited company, Trainingsbetrieb Almenräder Rennpferde GmbH to run things. “The company pays me a modest salary; in fact, my head lad gets paid more than me,” she says. Christina Baltromei is still involved and also rides out for Yasmin on a regular basis, and the atmosphere is very friendly, relaxed and harmonious.

Head lad and right-hand man Artur Chlipala.

Several members of the team are still there from the days of Werner Baltromei, notably Anke Woodburn (ex-wife of jockey Kevin), who is the stable secretary and runs the office and is “absolutely indispensable”; and head lad Polish-born Artur Chlipala. “He is my right hand man and knows everything there is to know about horses,” says Almenräder. She also praises the Trybuhl family, who was a great help in the early days; and Wilhelm Feldmann (always known, for obvious reasons, as “Kojak”), who is the racing manager for Gestüt Hachtsee (owners of Le Miracle and Lady Marian, and who helped her to get established).

Yasmin with 2nd jockey Anna van den Troost.

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