3 minute read

· The King George to become a ‘Run For Free’ race

·     Royal Ascot Group 2 early closing requirements removed

Ascot Racecourse today announces that prize money will reach a record £17.75 million in 2025, with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes ('the King George') to be run for £1.5 million for the first time (£1.25 million in 2024), which will make it the richest race ever run at Ascot.

The £17.75 million figure excludes the industry-owned QIPCO British Champions Day (£4.1 million in 2024).

In addition, the King George will become a 'Run For Free' race, with connections of all horses that run (except supplementary entries) refunded their entry fees in full.

Prize money at Royal Ascot in 2025 will once again be £10m with no race run for less than £110,000 and all Group 1 races worth a minimum of £650,000. Across the rest of the programme there are some other targeted increases, with no race scheduled to be run for less than in 2024.

Ruth Quinn, Director of International Racing and Development at the British Horseracing Authority, said:

"The King George is obviously a wonderfully iconic race and plays a vital role in the programme, particularly in terms of the ever-important middle-distance horse.

"Ascot's 'Run For Free' concept, especially for this extremely valuable prize, is an example of tremendous initiative and dynamic thinking.

"The £1.5m prize fund, particularly against the backdrop of increasing international competition to entice high-quality runners, is extremely welcome news. The ability for owners to have entry stakes returned, and therefore be able to compete in this great race for free, shows welcome enterprise and should help to increase the attractiveness of lining up in this event."

Other race condition changes in 2025 will see the early closing entry requirements for the four Group 2 races at the Royal Meeting that currently close in April removed. These are the Ribblesdale Stakes, the King Edward VII Stakes, the Duke of Cambridge Stakes and the Hardwicke Stakes. This will enable connections to make later, better-informed decisions about entering and running their horses.

The combined effect of the prize money increases and race condition changes will see Ascot's executive contribution to prize money increase from £9.4m in 2024 to a budgeted £10.1m in 2025.

Paul Johnson, Chief Executive of the National Trainers Federation, said:

"Trainers will certainly appreciate the extra flexibility that converting these Group 2s to becoming normal closers offers. This will allow for more informed decision-making in the build up to these races and will hopefully see Ascot rewarded with competitive contests.

"The introduction of 'Run for Free' for the King George is also a concept that we hope will encourage runners in tandem with the significant increase in prize money."

Felicity Barnard, Chief Executive Officer at Ascot Racecourse, said:

"We are delighted to be continuing our upward trajectory in prize money for 2025 and, through changes to entry conditions for the Group 2 races at Royal Ascot and 'Run For Free' for the King George, we will be absorbing more costs usually paid by owners.

"The King George is our midsummer highlight and Britain's top all-aged mile-and-a-half race. It is vital that its prize money reflects that, and this year's renewal will be the most valuable race ever run at Ascot."

Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs at Ascot Racecourse, added:

"We have been thinking about the concept of 'Run For Free' for the King George for some time as a mechanism for incentivising runners at decision-making time, as there are other alternatives lower down the Pattern and overseas.

"Field sizes are very important, especially in the World Pool era, and we hope that connections of horses that aren't at the top of the betting might see this as a good reason to go for the big target, especially with record prize money on offer. 

"The four races with historical early closing at the Royal Meeting will now close at the five-day stage, giving connections more time to identify the right horses for these races, with the Epsom Classics, Coronation Cup and such like behind them.

"Once again, we are ensuring that no race at Ascot will be run for less than the previous year."

All figures are planned numbers for 2025, subject to abandonments.