THE Irish European Breeders’ Fund will be the flagship sponsor of the new National Hunt academy hurdle race series, which will commence next October.

For three-year-olds who have not raced on the flat, academy hurdles are being introduced with the aim of encouraging owners of National Hunt horses to put them in training earlier.

The races will have a focus on jumping, with racecourses and distances selected to maximise the optimum number of obstacles in each race.

Controversially, winners of these races will be qualified to run in bumpers and maiden hurdles in Ireland, the reasoning being that academy hurdle winners do not have to be rushed to compete in all-aged novice hurdles.

Each academy hurdle run will be considered by the IHRB handicapper in assessing a horse for a handicap rating.

Some of these races will carry IRE Incentive-style vouchers for eligible winning and placed horses; and non-winners will remain eligible to be registered for a hunter certificate to run in point-to-points.

Joe Foley, Irish EBF chairman, commented: “The Irish EBF Academy Hurdle Race Series is a progressive initiative for National Hunt racing and the Irish EBF are delighted to become overall sponsor.

“The series will offer an earlier shop window for stallion and mare owners and become a positive catalyst for National Hunt breeding and racing in Ireland. We look forward to the first races in October to see what talent will emerge from the three-year-old ranks.”

Jonathan Mullin, HRI director of racing, said; “There has been a very clear direction given to Horse Racing Ireland from the industry, in relation to the issues being felt by Irish National Hunt breeders and we are delighted to be able to outline what will be on offer from October 2025, cognisant of the fact that a reasonable lead-in time is needed for people to adjust.”