Ascot announces record prize money for 2023

Ascot Racecourse has announced record prize money of £17million across its 25 racedays in 2023.

The overall figure, which excludes the industry-owned Qipco British Champions Day, represents an annual uplift of £1.33million against 2022 figures, while prize money for Royal Ascot next year will also be a record of £9.52million – up from £8.65million this summer.

All Group One races will be run for a minimum of £600,000 for the first time with increases to the King’s Stand Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Gold Cup, Coronation Stakes and Commonwealth Cup (all £500,000 in 2022), while the Queen Anne Stakes will be worth £750,000 (£600,000 in 2022).

As in 2022, no race at Royal Ascot will be run for less than £100,000. No race on the Flat will be worth less than £15,000 and no race over jumps will be run for less than £10,000, including National Hunt Flat races.

The Grade One Clarence House Chase and Betfair Ascot Chase will increase to £175,000 (both from £150,000), while each Saturday meeting during the jumps season will feature a handicap worth at least £100,000.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to have reached the £17million prize money mark for the first time. It’s never been so important to focus on the top end of the British programme with competition for the best horses so intense internationally.

“Against a backdrop of reduced central funding, an increase of more than £1.1million or almost 14% in executive contribution has been required to get to this figure. That represents a significant investment and whilst many of the headline increases are at Royal Ascot, there are also boosts to Class 2 and Class 3 handicaps on the Flat driven by the welcome increase to minimum values in this area.

“We are also pleased to improve returns for developmental races including two high value maidens on the Flat, while over Jumps our five Saturday meetings will all feature at least one £100,000 handicap.”