In 1993, the Horserace Betting Levy Board introduced the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme to horse racing in the United Kingdom. It was introduced as an incentive to breed top quality race horses in Britain and to improve the breeding stock of the country.

Breeders are also compensated each time one of their horses wins a race that is eligible under the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme guidelines. This year, the Horserace Betting Levy Board has set aside £1,920,000 for the Breeders’ Prizes Scheme.

There are a certain criteria for horses to fulfill in order to be considered for the Breeder’s Prize Scheme, in both flat racing and national hunt racing. Primarily, foals must be sired by a stallion that is based in Great Britain. A horse must have been foaled in Great Britain and had to have stayed in the country until the month of July the year after its birth. These are just a few of the rules that must be complied with to be able to win the prize.

Horse breeds with great abilities to race and to compete, are being developed with the use of cloning. It allows horses to have better traits of physical strength and great mental courage. A mule has already been cloned, meaning that science is ready to produce unlimited copies of the best race horses. The gene responsible for a certain type of equine viral fever has been identified, so horse breeders now have the option of genetic manipulation. Such technology is obviously limited by ethical concerns.