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Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus Scheme
The ITBA NH Committee established its highly successful self-help scheme in 2013, one of the main objectives was to enhance the prices of fillies at store sales and encourage breeders to return their fillies in training. The ITBA scheme pays out a bonus of €5,000 to any eligible filly who win their Mares only maiden bumper, maiden hurdle and beginners’ steeplechase. Therefore, each filly has the opportunity to win €15,000 without deduction on top of the prize money.
Now in its tenth year of existence and having rewarded fillies’ owners with over €3 million in bonuses, Irish bred fillies that wins her first bonus from 1st January 2024 will be rewarded with an additional €2500, bringing their initial bonus to €7500. This move will further support our increasingly strong broodmare band and our owner/breeders that choose to race their fillies.
In 2018, the scheme was extended to include a number of Mares only H’Cap Hurdles for fillies that did not win their maiden.
The scheme also supports the Connolly’s RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Race Series.
To date we have paid out over € 3,000,000 in bonuses to winning owners.
We take applications for the Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus once a year. The closing date each year is 30th September and we will receive applications up to that date. To make a filly eligible she has to fill the following criteria:
- She must be 3YO+
- Must be IRE bred
- Unraced at the Racecourse at Closing date
- €300 paid to the ITBA before the Closing date
Should you have any questions or queries relating to this scheme, please contact Danielle Deveney @ ITBA HQ on 045 877543 or follow the link below…
Is your filly eligible? She must be:
- 3-Year-Old +
- Filly must be IRE bred
- Unraced at the racetrack (under Rules, she is permitted to have run in a point to point)
- The scheme will open on 5th August 2024 for entries and the fee (€300) must be paid to the ITBA before the closing date – 30th September, 2024
- If your filly/mare is a homebred and has never been to the store sales, it is a once-off payment of €300 – made payable to the ITBA before the closing date – 30th September 2024
- When a filly is entered to the store sales, her vendor pays €100 with her entry fee to make her part qualified for the scheme. When she is sold, the purchaser pays the additional €200 to the sales company to complete her eligibility. This also applies to fillies bought outside the sales ring but processed through the sales company.
- For unsold or withdrawn fillies, the remaining €200 has to be paid to the ITBA before the closing date to ensure that this filly is in the scheme.
New for 2025: Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Academy Hurdle Series Bonus
All races in the new 2025 Academy Hurdle series will now see the benefit of the being part of the Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus scheme.
This means that three-year-old Irish-bred fillies that win an Irish EBF Academy Hurdle in 2025 and have been made eligible for the scheme will be awarded an additional €7,500 bonus on top of the race prize money and will still be eligible for the €5,000 scheme bonuses available if subsequently winning a mares bumper or mares beginners’ steeplechase (but not a maiden hurdle).
If you are a NH Breeder or Owner and have a filly aimed at the series that you wish to make eligible for the scheme, the terms and conditions are as follows:
- 3YO at time of entry & aimed at the Academy Hurdle series
- IRE Bred
- Unraced under rules
- €300 to be paid to the ITBA before the closing date of 30th May 2025.
This is a once-off payment that makes your filly eligible for bonuses amounting to €17,500. Once entered, the filly will be eligible to win bonuses in any of the Academy Hurdle races this autumn.
Whether you’re an owner, trainer, or breeder, this is your opportunity to maximize value and support the future of Irish breeding.
For Further information or to enter, please contact Danielle Deveney on 045 877 543 / 085 7750330 or email ddeveney@itba.ie
Note: Entries for fillies not aimed at this series and older horses will open as usual on 1st August 2025 for the 2026 race programme.