British racing has introduced a new incentive that could have a real effect on where future jump horses are trained.
The British Horseracing Authority has announced a Training Fees Credit Scheme that will reward owners of top performers in major spring races with a substantial contribution towards the cost of training a new horse in Britain.
For anyone involved in ownership, the idea is simple. Win or finish second in a Grade 1 hurdle or chase during March or April and you receive a credit that can be used against the training fees of a new British-trained horse.
It is a move aimed squarely at strengthening the pool of quality National Hunt horses based in Britain.
How the Scheme Works
The structure of the scheme is clear. Owners of horses that win a qualifying Grade 1 hurdle or chase during the spring festivals will receive a £20,000 credit. Owners of the runner-up in those races will receive £10,000.
That credit can then be used towards the training costs of a new jump horse with any licensed British trainer.
There is one key condition. The horse must not previously have been in training in Britain. In simple terms, the scheme encourages owners to bring a new recruit into the British training ranks rather than moving an existing horse between yards.
The credits become available for use from 1 September in the same year they are earned, giving owners time to consider their next purchase.
Funding for the scheme totals £760,000 and comes from the Horserace Betting Levy Board.
Why the BHA Is Introducing It
Anyone who follows jump racing closely will recognise the wider issue this scheme is trying to address.
Over the past decade the number of top-class National Hunt horses trained in Britain has fallen when compared with Ireland. Irish yards now dominate many of the sport’s biggest races, from Cheltenham to Aintree.
The BHA and other bodies within the sport want to strengthen the domestic training base and encourage owners to invest in horses that will be trained in Britain.
Richard Wayman, Director of Racing at the BHA, described the initiative as a targeted effort to support British trainers while encouraging owners to base new horses in the country.
With Cheltenham and the Grand National Festival approaching, the timing of the announcement is deliberate. These are the meetings where the best jump horses compete and where many ownership decisions are made for the seasons ahead.
Races That Qualify
The scheme focuses on the biggest hurdle and chase races staged in Britain during March and April.
That means the Grade 1 races at the Cheltenham Festival form a major part of the programme. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Champion Hurdle, Stayers’ Hurdle, Arkle, Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup all qualify.
The policy continues at Aintree’s Grand National Festival, with races such as the Aintree Hurdle, Melling Chase and Bowl Chase included.
The Celebration Chase at Sandown in April is the final race in the qualifying window.
These races sit right at the heart of the jump season, which means the owners being rewarded are already competing at the highest level of the sport.
Part of a Wider Plan for British Racing
The Training Fees Credit Scheme does not stand alone. It forms part of a wider set of measures designed to support the breeding, ownership and training of jump horses in Britain.
Recent initiatives include an increase in prize money for developmental races, an extension of the Elite National Hunt Mares’ Scheme and the introduction of the GB Pointing Bonus.
Together these steps are aimed at strengthening the pipeline that produces future Grade 1 horses.
Alan Delmonte, Chief Executive of the Horserace Betting Levy Board, confirmed that the funding comes from a wider increase in prize money support. The Levy Board has added several million pounds to race funding across 2025 and 2026.
What It Could Mean for Owners
From an ownership point of view, the scheme is quite interesting.
Training fees are one of the biggest ongoing costs involved in racehorse ownership. A £20,000 credit will not cover everything, though it does remove a meaningful portion of the expense during a horse’s early months in training.
For owners already competing in Grade 1 races, the incentive may encourage them to reinvest in another horse for the following season.
There is another potential effect. Owners who win the credit might look at trainers they have not worked with before. That opens the door for new partnerships between owners and British yards.
Paul Johnson of the National Trainers Federation has said the scheme is a welcome step after several seasons in which the number of high-quality horses based in Britain has slipped.
A Small Change That Could Have an Impact
Schemes like this rarely transform a sport overnight. The balance between British and Irish jump racing has developed over many years.
Even so, incentives that reduce the cost of ownership can influence decisions. Owners often buy horses during the spring and summer sales. Knowing that a training credit is waiting could shape where that horse ends up in training.
For British trainers and racing fans alike, the hope is that more good horses will be developed in Britain and aimed at the country’s biggest races.
With Cheltenham and Aintree just around the corner, the first owners who might benefit from the scheme will soon be known. And their next purchase could end up being one of the most interesting stories of the next National Hunt season.
