PRIZE money in British racing is forecast to rise by about 2.7% in 2026.

On Wednesday the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) published next year’s fixture list and it contains 1,458 meetings, just two fewer than scheduled for this year. Total prize money is likely to exceed £190 million, boosted by an extra £4.4 million contribution from the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

Most of the extra cash will be targeted at “developmental” races, typically maidens and novice races, aimed at making Britain a more attractive location for promising quality horses, both on the flat and over jumps.

There will also be significant increases in the prize money for the July Cup at Newmarket, Ascot’s King George, the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and International at York.

The minimum values of all blacktype races on the flat will be raised. Some £250,000 is being pumped into point-to-point maidens and there is an extra £200,000 going into the Elite Mares’ Scheme over jumps.

Funding will also be targeted more strategically towards Britain’s higher-profile contests on the flat and over jumps, particularly feature races on ITV Racing, to attract higher quality and competitive fields.

Richard Wayman, director of racing at the BHA, said: “While the volume of fixtures will remain similar to 2025, we are investing in a range of measures that seek to increase the number of horses based and being raced in Britain. This includes a particular focus on growing the number of high-quality horses – something that is crucial to our global standing as an elite racing and breeding nation.

“We’ll be targeting more funding into prize money and investing in the programme at all levels, thanks to the increased contribution from the Horserace Betting Levy Board. There’ll be an emphasis on developmental races – where most horses gain vital early experience – and the major contests and headline occasions, especially those in the sport’s shop window.

“We are also very aware of the need to ensure the fixture list is sustainable for the people being asked to deliver it, and the importance of taking steps to support them wherever possible.

“2026 will include several code breaks to ease the pressure on some of our busiest jockeys, and we will be trialling earlier finishes at floodlit fixtures in the early part of the year. This is a relatively small change, but one that can help us measure the effects on people’s wellbeing.”

Key British racing dates for 2026