Ascot Sets New Benchmark with Record £19.4 Million in Prize Money for 2026

The English racecourse announced a significant prize-money increase for the upcoming season, with the King Georgebecoming the first race in England to offer £2,000,000 in purses

Ascot Gears Up for a 2026 Featuring Unprecedented Prize-Money Levels / ASCOT

BERKSHIRE, England (Special to Turf Diario)—Ascot is once again shaking the foundations of British racing. In a challenging economic climate—and amid the need to remain competitive against increasingly aggressive international markets—the racecourse announced that it will distribute £19.4 million in prize money in 2026, the highest total in its history. The increase of £1.65 million over 2025 sends a strong message of long-term commitment to owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

Half of next year’s program will see purse boosts: 88 of the 169 races will offer more prize money than they did 12 months ago. The rise is broad-based, but the centerpiece, as always, will be Royal Ascot, which jumps from £10.05 million to £10.65 million, further consolidating its status as the most valuable racing festival in the U.K. outside Champions Day. Every race at the meeting will now carry a minimum purse of £120,000, while all eight Group 1 events will be worth at least £700,000, with two reaching the £1 million mark.

Ascot’s own financial commitment also grows: its direct contribution will climb to £10.7 million, underscoring the vital role of private investment in sustaining a calendar that seeks to preserve quality, prestige, and global appeal.

The headline element—signaled months in advance—was the confirmation that the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) will become Britain’s first-ever £2 million race beginning in 2026. The presence this year of Calandagan (Gleneagles), the world’s highest-rated horse and fresh off his Japan Cup (G1) triumph, only intensified the spotlight on a classic that has fully reclaimed its status as a global beacon. With the new enhancements, the day’s card will surpass £2.5 million in total prize money.

But Ascot’s strategy goes beyond the top end: it also targets the sport’s foundations. All Class 3 and Class 4 turf raceswill carry a minimum of £25,000, an injection worth £287,000 that responds to long-standing calls to strengthen the competitive base. In jump racing, the commitment to development is equally clear: novice and maiden hurdles will also be worth at least £25,000, and the Ladbrokes 1965 Chase increases from £80,000 to £100,000, ensuring a trio of six-figure races across the traditional November weekend.

For Felicity Barnard, Ascot’s CEO, the announcement “reinforces the racecourse’s commitment to the advancement of British racing” and arrives at a time when macroeconomic realities demand “long-term planning and decision-making.” Her view is echoed by Nick Smith, Director of Racing, who emphasized that prize money is the central tool in attracting horses from four continents—as happened in 2025—and in maintaining the meeting’s international prominence.

With record figures, strategic vision, and an increasingly robust program, Ascot once again demonstrates why it remains one of the sport’s global flagships. In 2026, the challenge won’t simply be to chase glory—it will be to compete on a stage offering the most enticing purses in modern British racing history.