Investing in young talent at Goffs

LAST week, Horse Racing Ireland announced dates and venues for seven Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle races to be run later this year.

The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle races are open to three-year-olds which have not had any previous run under either the Rules of Racing or I.N.H.S. Rules other than in Academy Hurdle races. Horses that run in any of these races can continue their careers in bumpers, maiden hurdles or point-to-points.

Their introduction will be an added incentive for buyers at the upcoming sales to consider purchasing two-year-old stores, with the aim of having them ready for these races in 2016.

Jonathan Mullin, director of racing at HRI, said: “The races will all be run over a distance in excess of two miles, and it is our intention that all races will have around 10 hurdles.

“Each of the races offer a sales voucher, similar to the IRE incentive, for the owners of any eligible Irish-bred horse which wins or is placed either second or third. Each winning owner will receive a €5,000 voucher, while the owners of the runner-up and the third-placed horses will each receive €3,000 and €2,000 respectively.

“Additionally, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s support of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle races will now see them benefit from being part of the Weatherbys National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme (in association with The Irish Field).

“This means that three-year-old Irish-bred fillies that win an Irish EBF Academy Hurdle in 2025 will be awarded an additional €7,500 bonus on top of the race prize money, and will still be eligible for the €5,000 scheme bonuses available if subsequently winning a bumper, a steeplechase, but not a maiden hurdle.”

The initial dates and venues for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Academy Hurdle races are Cork (October 12th), Fairyhouse (November 4th), Punchestown (November 13th), Cork (November 23rd), Navan (December 6th), Naas (December 15th) and Leopardstown (December 29th).

Next week’s Goffs Arkle Sale will see the first 26 two-year-olds come under the hammer, and they could be candidates for the race series in 2026. It will be those bred in Ireland who are eligible for the additional incentives.

Tattersalls Ireland has included 31 two-year-olds in the catalogue for the Derby Sale, all of them being offered at the end of day one, Wednesday, June 26th.