'We are constantly looking at the best ways to strategically support the race programme' - British EBF to back junior hurdles

British horseracing’s most active sponsor, the British EBF, is to re-focus part of its National Hunt prize-money contribution to support the junior hurdle programme.

Now in their fourth year, Junior National Hunt Hurdle races enhance the potential of young horses through earlier jumping education. 

Racing against their own age-group, the development of this programme aims to mirror the early education options available to National Hunt trainers in France and Ireland.

Open exclusively to three-year-olds from October to December and four-year-olds from January to April of the following year, Junior Hurdle runners must not have previously competed, except for running in a bumper or Junior ‘NH’ Hurdle. 

They carry the same status as bumper and point-to-point races, in that winners will not be precluded from competing in novice hurdles during the following Jump season.

The renewed British EBF National Hunt programme for 2024-2025 will comprise:

• National Hunt Novice Hurdle Series with £80,000 final at Sandown on March 8, 2025

• Mares’ NH Novice Hurdle Series with final at Newbury on March 22, 2025

• Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at Sandown on March 8, 2025

• British EBF Junior NH Hurdle races (11 races to the end of the year)

"We are constantly looking at the best ways to strategically support the race programme,” said Simon Sweeting, chairman of the British EBF.

“With guidance from the BHA, we agreed to lend support to this relatively new initiative so it had time to gain traction with owners and trainers and give its creators [the TBA and BHA] time to assess its value to the wider National Hunt racing and breeding landscape.” 

Simon Cox, chairman of the TBA National Hunt Committee, thanked the British EBF for taking up the support, saying: “We are delighted that the British EBF are supporting the Junior ‘NH’ Hurdle races from this autumn through sponsorship. These races provide a vital education for National Hunt-bred horses to compete against each other at the same development stage, without the burden of taking on more mature Flat-breds. 

“As a National Hunt Committee, we were pleased with the interest that these races have had from the first to the second year, and as more and more stakeholders understand the concept and its benefits, we anticipate the standard to keep on improving.”

The British EBF is funded by British stallion studs and contributes £2,000,000 to racing’s prize-money in 2024 across its Flat and National Hunt programmes. 

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