Prize money will reach a record US$22 million in 2025 at Ascot,
where the July 26 running of the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at $1.8 million will be the richest race ever run at the historic England
racecourse.

The $22 million does not include the Oct. 18 renewal of British
Champions day, which had $5 million in purses in 2024 based on the current
rate of exchange.

In addition, the King George, which was run for $1.5
million last summer, will become a run-for-free race with connections of all starters
except for supplements getting full refunds of their entry fees.

Prize money at Royal Ascot 2025 will remain at $12.4
million with no race run for less than $136,000 and each Group 1 race worth a
minimum of $800,000. Across the rest of the program there are some other
targeted increases with no race scheduled to be run for less than it was in
2024.

“The King George is obviously a wonderfully iconic race and
plays a vital role in the program, particularly in terms of the ever-important
middle-distance horse,” said Ruth Quinn, international director at the British
Horseracing Authority. “Ascot’s run-for-free concept, especially for this
extremely valuable prize, is an example of tremendous initiative and dynamic
thinking.

“The ($1.8 million) 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 removal of
the April entry deadlines for the four Group 2 races at the royal meeting. They
include the Ribblesdale, the King Edward VII, the Duke of Cambridge and the
Hardwicke. 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 $11.6 million in 2024 to a budgeted $12.5 million in 2025.

“Trainers will certainly appreciate the extra flexibility
that converting these Group 2s to becoming normal closers offers,” said Paul
Johnson, chief executive of the Great Britain-based National Trainers Federation.
“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.”

“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,” Ascot CEO Felicity Barnard said. “The King
George is our mid-summer 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.”

“We have been thinking about the concept of run for free for
the King George for some time as a mechanism for incentivizing runners at
decision-making time, as there are other alternatives lower down the (group and
listed levels) and overseas,” said Nick Smith, Ascot’s director of racing and
public affairs. “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 (G1)
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 and subject to unforeseen
cancellations.