Sunday marks the final registration deadline for this year's crop of 2-year-old fillies to be signed up to the Great British Bonus.
The scheme has already paid out more than £1.7 million in bonuses to over 110 individual winners since its launch 10 months ago. These include bonuses of £60,000 to those involved with the Bryan Smart-trained treble winner Blackberry (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) on the Flat and Anythingforlove (GB) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}), who is owned by a 20-strong syndicate, for her three wins over hurdles this season.
A further six fillies or mares have each won two bonuses, earning £40,000 for their connections. In total, 16 individuals have won multiple bonuses, including those with 50% eligibility to the scheme, such as Martello Sky (GB). Though bearing a British suffix, she is by the late French-based stallion Martaline, but her three wins this season for trainer Lucy Wadham and her owners in The Sky Partnership have accrued bonuses which exceed her total prize-money of £18,434.
The scheme's coordinator Grant Pritchard-Gordon said, “These bonuses have been spread right across the entire spectrum of ownership and stud farms. Juddmonte is the only major operation to appear on this list, while there are numerous small owners and breeders that have received bonuses that are often many multiples of the actual prize-money received.”
He added, “Breeders have seen a positive uplift in GBB-eligible foals and yearlings through the sales ring, owners have received bonuses that far exceed prize-money earnings, and British stallion farms have seen a very positive reaction from breeders, who appreciate the benefits of producing 100% GBB-eligible stock. The Great British Bonus scheme is genuinely a lifeline for many in these challenging Covid times. It is probably providing the only good news around at present.”
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