The ITBA has an exciting announcement regarding its highly successful Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme. ITBA are now pleased to announce that any Irish Bred filly entered in the scheme, that wins her first bonus from 1st January 2024 will be eligible to win an increased bonus totalling €7500.
Developed in 2013, the schemes objectives were to enhance the value of fillies at store sales and encourage breeders to return their fillies in training. The scheme has had an undeniable effect and is widely recognised as a major contributor in the increased demand for NH fillies at store sales.
The scheme has undoubtedly been a tremendous success rewarding owners with an additional €5000 prize money when their mare wins their Mares only bumper, maiden hurdle or beginners chase, offering owners the chance to win an extra €15,000 in deduction free prize money once their mare has been made eligible for the scheme.
Now in its tenth year of existence and having rewarded fillies’ owners with over €3 million in bonuses, Irish bred fillies will be rewarded with an additional €2500, bringing their initial bonus to €7500. This move will further support our increasingly strong broodmare band and our owner/breeders that choose to race their fillies.
Weatherbys National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme celebrates over €3 million paid out in bonuses.
Photo with Sharon O'Regan of Weatherbys, HRI's John Osborne, NH Committee Chairman William Flood and Mark Costello from The Irish Field.
ITBA NH committee Chairman William Flood added “The scheme has proven to be a great success for the NH sector, and we are very pleased with how the scheme has continued to strengthen over the last 10 years. Our National Hunt committee has worked tirelessly to improve and further develop the scheme, and we are delighted to be able to offer this increased bonus to reward our Irish breeders and owners. This offers support at the grassroots level of our industry.”
ITBA are hugely grateful for the continued industry support from Weatherby’s, The Irish Field, HRI, Goffs, Tattersalls and of course the breeders and owners that also support the scheme each year.
John Osborne, HRI added “The NH fillies bonus scheme has been instrumental in making Fillies and mares races the attraction they are. The strength of our NH breeding sector is measured by the quality of our mares so we want to continue to support these initiatives”.
Applications are now open for the Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus Scheme for 2024.
If you are a NH Breeder and Owner and wish to make your filly eligible for the scheme, the terms and conditions remain as follows:
- 3YO+ at time of entry
- Unraced (under rules) at closing date 30th September, 2023 (can have run on the P2P circuit)
- €200 to be paid to the ITBA before the closing date as above.
For further information on any aspect of the scheme, contact Danielle Deveney at ITBA on 045 877543 / 087 4283844 or email to ddeveney@itba.ie
Additional info is also available on www.itba.ie