A new spring series of median sires races has been praised by trainers.
A new Spring Series of median sires races, culminating in the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic.
The Gowran Classic will be the richest race ever held at Gowran Park Racecourse. Taking place on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3.
Horse Racing Ireland, the Irish European Breeders’ Fund and Gowran Park Racecourse have announced a significant boost to the three-year-old programme for middle distance horses for 2024 and beyond.
The race is designed to attract three-year-old middle distance horses with a median price of no more than €75,000.
The winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic will receive an automatic free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, June 30.
This applies to both colts and fillies. Entries for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic close on March 13.
The series, with total prize money of €330,000, consists of six races with a minimum prize-fund of €25,000 per race.
The Curragh, Navan and Cork will host four maiden races between them. Two for fillies only, each of these races will be restricted to runners whose sires achieved a median price of not more than €50,000 in 2022.
Roscommon meet on May 13
A median price of €75,000 will apply to runners in The Irish Stallions Farms EBF three-year-old Spring Series Race, with a value of €30,000, at Roscommon on May 13. The same median price restriction will apply to runners in the €200,000 series finale.
“This new Spring Series of median sires races is a brilliant initiative by Irish EBF and Horse Racing Ireland” said, Curragh-based trainer, commented Willie McCreery.
“The races are designed to be linked to the median price of the stallion, which allows everyone to participate”.
“It offers great opportunities for middle distance horses that needed a bit of time to mature and gives them a big target to aim at, in their three-year-old career”.
“The prize money along with the ‘win and you’re in’ to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is a super incentive and I’ll certainly be aiming horses at all the races especially the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic.”
Fixtures
| Track | Date | Distance | Value | Name | Race Summary |
| Curragh | 06/04/2024 | 10 | €25,000 | The Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Maiden | 3yo Median Auction Maiden (Fillies) (€50,000) (EBF) |
| Navan | 09/04/2024 | 10 | €25,000 | The Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Maiden | 3yo Median Auction Maiden (€50,000) (EBF) |
| Navan | 27/04/2024 | 10 | €25,000 | The Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Maiden | 3yo Median Auction Maiden (€50,000) (EBF) |
| Cork | 10/05/2024 | 10.18 | €25,000 | The Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Maiden | 3yo Median Auction Maiden (Fillies) (€50,000) (EBF) |
| Roscommon | 13/05/2024 | 10.3 | €30,000 | The Irish Stallion Farms EBF 3yo Spring Series Race | 3yo Median Auction Winners of 1 (€75,000) (EBF) |
| Gowran Park | 03/06/2024 | 9.5 | €200,000 | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic | 3yo Median Auction (€75,000) (EBF) |
