YORK Race Committee has pledged to absorb half the impact of swingeing cuts in next year’s prize money fund.

Chairman Nicholas Wrigley announced the measures at the 240th Gimcrack Dinner after Knavesmire, like tracks across the country, were hit by significant funding cuts.

Last month, The Press reported how the publication of the Levy Board’s contribution to Basic Daily Rates (BDR) for prize funds at the racecourse had revealed York had lost 20 per cent of their allocation – receiving £67,710 per fixture in 2011.

James Brennan, head of marketing at York Racecourse, revealed the BDR was only one stream of funding that had been cut with reductions in various other grants also hitting the track.

York, which had record attendances in 2010, offered record prize money of more than £5 million.

That is unlikely to be repeated next year, given the funding constraints, but Brennan said the move by the race committee was symbolic of the desire to keep York at the forefront of British and international racing.

“The chairman gave his commitment on the back of a board meeting we’d had earlier in the day,” he said.

“How we achieve that has yet to be worked out in fine detail but we will be talking to sponsors and racing bodies about the changes.

“Some (cuts) will have to come from some well-known races, while we will look to protect others because they are our headline contests.

“For some of the smaller races, if the prize fund was £10,700 this year, it might be £10,000 or £9,000 next year.

“We’ll work on the numbers, look to absorb some of the shortfall and hope we have a programme that’s still attractive to horsemen and has a level of balance.”

Brennan added: “The headline figure of BDR is going down but there are also grants that supported pattern races that have been heavily hit.”

But while prize money may be under pressure, Brennan said the track was still pushing ahead with a number of initiatives over the close season to improve racecourse facilities.

“We are looking to level off the lawn in front of the Moet pavilion and make spending time there a better experience,” he said.

“Similarly, with the Champagne Lawn by the weighing room, we are looking to clear some shrubbery and put in a more permanent bar.

“Behind the Knavesmire Stand we want to create some more space in the courtyard area and improve the lawns for the Grandstand and the Paddock. Course enclosure will also benefit from a programme of improvements.

“We are trying to protect prize money but we are also investing in the experience and we are having to do it all on austerity rations.

“We were delighted with the support from the public during 2010 and hope they will back us again starting on May 11.”