THE Irish European Breeders’ Fund and Connolly’s Red Mills have joined forces to support a series of 14 auction hurdle races between September and April, worth a total of €355,000 in prize money.

Starting at Listowel on September 11th with a €20,000 maiden, the series ends in April with a €75,000 final.

Each maiden and novice hurdle in the series will be worth a minimum of €20,000.

Entry into the final is limited to horses which have run in one of the previous races in the series.

The conditions will specify that all horses must be by an EBF-registered stallion and bought as an unraced three or four-year-old at a recognised National Hunt store sale for €45,000 or less, with weight allowances depending on purchase price.

The ITBA have agreed to boost the series by including the €5,000 Weatherbys/ITBA NH Fillies Bonus Scheme for all races in the series.