PRIZE money at the Jockey Club’s racecourses in Britain will return to pre-pandemic levels for the fourth quarter of 2021.

To achieve this, the Jockey Club will increase its prize money contribution by nearly £1.5 million in the final three months of the year. This will see total prize money at JCR fixtures from October to December boosted from a previous projection of circa £11 million to more than £12.5 million and total prize money for 2021 across its 15 racecourses from more than £44 million to more than £46 million (with all figures subject to abandonments).

The Jockey Club had previously announced total prize money across its fixtures in the second half of the year would be increased to totals within 9% of pre-pandemic levels, but that it would keep the situation under review in case the financial outlook improved further.

This latest announcement will see increases in prize money values at all levels of the sport. This includes major races across both codes, such as the Dewhurst Stakes, Fillies’ Mile, Cesarewitch Handicap, Sun Chariot Stakes, Paddy Power Gold Cup, Betfair Chase, Becher Chase and King George VI Chase.

Welcome boost

Trainer John Gosden welcomed the news. He said: “This is a very welcome boost to prize money levels, including key races in the autumn programme.”

His colleague Paul Nicholls added: “It is fantastic news to see such a significant uplift in prize money and just when the jumps season steps up a gear. Great credit to the Jockey Club in achieving this after such a difficult 18 months.”

The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses are Aintree, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs, Exeter, Haydock Park, Huntingdon, Kempton Park, Market Rasen, Newmarket July Course, Newmarket Rowley Mile, Nottingham, Sandown Park, Warwick and Wincanton.