The Jockey Club’s popular Grassroots Flat Series is set to be expanded for the 2017 season with a newly added Nursery Handicap Series added to the returning Sprint and Middle Distance Series.

The opening qualifiers for the Sprint Series and the Middle Distance Series will be run on Saturday 13th May at Nottingham Racecourse, with the first Nursery Series qualifier being held at Haydock Park on Saturday July 7th.

The finals for the three series will be held at Nottingham Racecourse on Wednesday 4th October, offering a £70,000 prize pot. The Nursery Handicap Series will culminate with a final worth £20,000, added to the existing finals at £25,000 each.

Qualification for the respective finals requires horses to have run in a minimum of one qualification races throughout the season, of which there are a minimum of 18 staged across Jockey Club Racecourses. 

The Grassroots Series aims to provide opportunities for horses operating below the highest level to compete for substantial prize money and reflects The Jockey Club’s commitment to support all levels of British Racing. 

Paul Fisher, Group Managing Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, said:

“The expansion of the Grassroots Flat series reflects our investment into prize money and a keen interest in supporting the grassroots and mid-tiers of our sport as well as the top end. The Jockey Club recognises that prize money provides an important return for racehorse owners and is vital to the livelihoods of trainers, stable staff and jockeys.

“In 2017, we are contributing an industry-leading £22.9 million into prize money, which is an increase of £2.1 million year-on-year, and the Grassroots Series is just one area to see the benefit of this increased investment.”