LISTED races on the flat and Group 3/Grade 3 races under both codes will see significant increases in prize money next year.

Horse Racing Ireland announced on Friday that total prize money will only go up by 1.4% in 2025 but they are focusing the extra money on blacktype races, restoring most of them to pre-Covid levels.

On the flat, listed races will see an increased minimum from €37,500 to €45,000 (+20%), while Group 3 races will see a rise from €50,000 to €60,000 (+20%).

Over jumps, the purses for open Grade 3 races will rise in the minimum from €27,500 to €37,500 (+36%) while open Grade 2 races will increase from €35,000 to €45,000 (+29%).

Novice Grade 3 races will rise from €27,500 to €30,000 (+9%) while novice Grade 2 races will see a rise from €35,000 to €37,500 (+7%).

The total prize money budget for 2025 is €70.9m, up €1 million on the overall prize money that will be paid out in 2024.

Trainer Ger Lyons and David Hyland, chairman of the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, have both spoken publicly this year about the need for increases in prize money for blacktype races.

Contacted yesterday for comment by The Irish Field, Lyons said: “I haven’t had time to study the news in detail but I don’t think getting back to 2019 levels is anything to applaud. Costs have risen significantly in the past five years and prize money is standing still at best.

“During the summer I pointed out that one of my horses, My Mate Alfie, one of the top sprinters in the country, earned €1,700 for finishing third in a Group 3 race. The winner of the low-grade handicap on the same card earned more and that is not right, in my view. If you’re lucky enough to have a blacktype horse you are entitled to at least cover your training fees.

“I don’t want to be negative and so the only solution I can put forward is that, if our prize money pool is limited, we need to either reduce the total number of races or cap the maximum prize money for low-grade races. I’m aware that this is not a popular view and that is why I stepped away from racing politics.

“When one of mine wins an ordinary maiden they typically get a rating of around 88 and I think maiden winners should be earning €30,000.”

HRI’s spending priorities for 2025 also include a strong focus on strategic capital projects, increased support for equine welfare and integrity, continued investment in industry education and training, and continuation of funding for the IRE Incentive Scheme.

The budget plan was approved by the HRI board last Monday.

Equine and people welfare are being prioritised through the planned redevelopment of the Irish Equine Centre in Kill and the people campus at RACE in Kildare. The first phase of the people campus will see HRI and Irish Injured Jockeys develop a high-performance unit and rehabilitation facilities to support the mental and physical well-being of industry participants.

Work will also start on the all-weather track project at Tipperary next spring, subject to government approval.

Equine welfare

The 2025 budget provides for investment in equine welfare activities and welfare-related grant funding of €3.7 million, an increase of €200,000 on this year. HRI says its Equine Safety Racecourse Capital Development Project “will deliver major changes in 2025” and that the racing authority will extend its commitment to Treo Eile.

Integrity funding will increase to €17.8 million, an increase of €500,000.

Funding for the point-to-point sector stays at €2.7 million and HRI will increase its investment in industry education and training, through its equuip department, with €1.1m allocated in 2025, an increase of €400,000.

HRI says “progress is being made” on the advancement of the strategic change agenda in relation to the campus at RACE.

Next year will see a continuation of funding for the IRE Incentive Scheme, which will see €1.3 million being set aside for sales vouchers for qualifying winners that can be spent on Irish-bred horses at Irish sales.