A SIGNIFICANT change to the payment of bonus prize money in 2016 has been announced by the Plus 10 scheme.

It will see breeders and pinhookers of horses entered into Plus 10 win their share of bonus prize money regardless of whether the horse has been fully qualified for the scheme.

The new payment structure equates to a guarantee of a bonus payment for breeders and pinhookers, should the horse they bred and registered for Plus 10, go on to win a bonus race.

The bonus payments are as follows: €1,250 where only the Foal Registration has been paid and €2,500 where only the Foal and Yearling Registrations have been paid. Where all three registration stages have been paid, the full €12,500 will be paid out.

The amendment will be active for the 2014 and subsequent foal crops and commences from the 2016 flat season.

SIGNIFICANT CHANGE

Cathy Grassick, Chairman of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mare Owners’ Committee and Director of Newtown Stud and Brian Grassick Bloodstock, said: “The introduction of paying out breeders’ bonus portions is a significant change to the existing system and will be warmly received by breeders, while further encouraging breeders’ growing participation in the Plus 10 bonus scheme.”

Eddie O’Leary of Lynn Lodge Stud said: “This change was needed – the breeders’ investment cannot be wasted when inclusion in further registration stages to fully qualify horses is beyond their control.

“I am a big believer in the Plus 10 bonus scheme when the breeder gets rewarded - this makes it a much fairer system for all.”

Plus 10 Committee Chairman Julian Richmond-Watson welcomed the change, stating: “The committee is pleased to be able to implement this change, which allows the scheme to go from strength to strength and continue to encourage breeding and ownership of Irish and British bred racehorses.”

Plus 10 is an owner and breeder incentive scheme which applies €12,500 (£10,000) bonuses to more than 550 two and three-year-old races in Ireland and Britain.

The Plus 10 two-year-old programme can be viewed at www.plus10bonus.com.