Connolly’s RED MILLS join forces with Irish EBF to Sponsor Auction Hurdle Series
RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series
Irish European Breeders’ Fund today announced Connolly’s RED MILLS as co-sponsor of the Irish EBF NH Auction Hurdle Series that will run from September 2018 until April 2019. The series gets underway at Listowel on September 11th with a €20,000 maiden and finishes in April 2019 with a valuable €75,000 final and total prize-money of €355,000.
Speaking about the announcement, John O’Connor, Irish EBF Chairman, said: “Irish EBF wholeheartedly welcome the involvement of Connolly’s RED MILLS with the much-anticipated National Hunt Auction Hurdle Series. Irish EBF, Horse Racing Ireland and now RED MILLS will support this series to encourage the purchase of NH store horses at auction and give owners and trainers an immense opportunity to target the series with horses costing €45,000 or less.”
Tom Mullins, trainer, commented: “I think this is a brilliant initiative and a great way to bring new owners into the game, we need these owners to keep it lively and vibrant. To buy a horse for €45,000 or less and be able to target this series with a chance to win and perhaps cover your purchase price is wonderful. I will be checking the auction price of all my horses to see which ones are eligible for the upcoming races this September.”
The series will consist of 14 maiden and novice hurdle races from September 2018 to April 2019, each worth a minimum of €20,000, with a final in April worth €75,000. Entry into the final is limited to horses which have run in one of the previous races in the series. The conditions will specify that all horses must be by an EBF registered stallion and bought as an unraced three or four-year-old at a recognised National Hunt Store sale for €45,000 or less, with weight allowances depending on purchase price. In addition, the ITBA have agreed to boost the series by including the €5,000 Weatherbys/ITBA NH Fillies Bonus Scheme for all races in the series.
Gareth Connolly, Sales and Marketing Director at Connolly’s RED MILLS said: “This is more than a sponsorship, this is our direct contribution back to the industry that supports us 365 days of the year. We understand the challenges that trainers and owners are facing and felt this was another perfect opportunity to partner with the Irish EBF to deliver another valuable series. We have had remarkable success with Irish EBF and our partner supplement company Foran Equine, seeing huge interest and participation in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Series. The aim is to do the same now on the National Hunt side with RED MILLS.
“Like all things, sport is evolving, and the competitive margins are getting tighter and tighter. Our focus is on evolving our products and services to meet the demands of our customers including a comprehensive approach to high performance nutrition bringing together the science and expertise of both feed and supplements. We hope both these series will give us the opportunity to showcase what we offer while at the same time helping to provide opportunities to our customers.”
END
For Further Information:
Nessa Joyce, Manager, Irish European Breeders’ Fund
Greenhills, Kill, Naas, Co Kildare, W91 FY62
M: +353 85 7590970, E: [email protected] Twitter: @IrishEBF_
www.ebfstallions.com
Jane Davis, Equine Brand Manager, Connolly’s RED MILLS
Goresbridge, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
M: +353 86 3490681, E: [email protected] Twitter: @REDMILLSHorse
https://www.redmills.ie
NOTES TO EDITOR
Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Races 2018-2019
DATE | Racecourse | Race Value | |
11-Sep-18 | Listowel | €20,000 | Listowel Harvest Festival |
06-Oct-18 | Gowran Park | €20,000 | PWC Champion Chase Day |
21-Oct-18 | Cork | €20,000 | Launch of Cork NH season |
28-Oct-18 | Galway | €20,000 | October Festival |
18-Nov-18 | Punchestown | €20,000 | Punchestown Winter Festival |
25-Nov-18 | Navan | €20,000 | Ladbrokes Troytown Chase Day |
26-Dec-18 | Down Royal | €20,000 | Boxing Day Meeting |
28-Dec-18 | Limerick | €20,000 | Limerick Christmas Racing Festival |
20-Jan-19* | Thurles | €20,000 | Kinloch Brae Chase Day |
24-Jan-19* | Gowran Park | €20,000 | Goffs Thyestes Chase Day |
09-Feb-19* | Naas | €20,000 | Opera Hat Mares Chase Day |
23-Feb-19* | Fairyhouse | €20,000 | Bobbyjo Chase Day |
04-Mar-19* | Leopardstown | €20,000 | National Hunt Finale Day |
24-Mar-19* | Downpatrick | €20,000 | Ulster National Chase Day |
April-19* | TBA | €75,000 |
*2019 Dates provisional
RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series
IRISH EBF BACKGROUND
Connolly’s RED MILLS BACKGROUND
FOR over 100 years, Connolly’s RED MILLS has never stopped building on our reputation for converting fresh, natural ingredients into the most trusted feed for peak performance right around the world. Since Michael Connolly bought the famous mill in Goresbridge, County Kilkenny in 1908, Connolly’s RED MILLS has used those core values to grow from a local mill in South-East Ireland, to a global brand, sold in 74 countries around the world.
Innovation by five generations of the Connolly family has built a name that never stands still, found and trusted from Malta to Mongolia, and Belgium to Bahrain. A brand that feeds champions from the UK and Ireland, to Continental Europe, the USA, Japan and in the Far East.
Today, Connolly’s RED MILLS houses one of the most advanced testing laboratories for ingredient quality, and Naturally Occurring Prohibited Substances. It has created exclusive, ground-breaking technology to build a Nutrient Fresh Management System, key to its exporting model. It has grown into a leading name in animal feeds and agri services, built a state-of-the-art pet food factory, a 3,000 sq. metre country store, and taken over Foran Equine, a market leader in equine healthcare products.
Connolly’s RED MILLS now feeds 93 Group 1 winners in 14 countries, (stats correct as of January 2018) with nothing outsourced and still 50% of the grain used in all feeds grown locally. We have never lost touch with our core values, nor with the County Kilkenny community that helped found RED MILLS with us.
I think this is a brilliant initiative and a great way to bring new owners into the game, we need these owners to keep it lively and vibrant. To buy a horse for €45,000 or less and be able to target this series with a chance to win and perhaps cover your purchase price is wonderful.