The Betfair Million bonus will be on offer again for the 2008-09 National Hunt season, but under a new format.

Instead of having to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George VI Chase or the Lexus Chase at Christmas and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, significant changes have been made.

To win the bonus now a horse would only have to finish in the first three of the Haydock event, finish in the first two of any race at the Cheltenham Festival and then intriguingly win the Grand National at Aintree.

Kauto Star won the bonus in 2006-07 and only his stablemate Denman prevented him for doubling up this season at Cheltenham but next term Clive Smith and Paul Nicholls would now have to contemplate the Grand National.

However, connections of Denman have already mentioned that the Gold Cup winner is likely to head to Aintree at some stage in his career.

Betfair’s head of media, Tony Calvin, explained: “The Betfair Million has been a tremendous success in its three years to date, and that is largely down to the media, not to mention the likes of Jim Lewis, Robert Alner, Clive Smith, Paul Nicholls and Harry Findlay, in embracing and supporting the concept.

“And we were genuinely delighted when Kauto Star won the Million in 2007, as we deliberately set out to make it far more winnable than the horse racing bonuses already out there.

“But now we feel it is time to widen the net further to potential winners, and we believe that the new format achieves that.

“Whilst again underlining our financial commitment to the racing industry, our primary concern in offering the Betfair Million bonus is to get the best horses to our race at Haydock in November, and as competitive and high-class a renewal as possible.

“And, clearly, the number of potential winners of the bonus is increased by the new structure.

“The Betfair Chase is obviously a valuable and prized Grade 1 race in its own right.

“But by allowing the first three home in that race to then have a chance at remaining on the Million trail by being in the first two in any race at Cheltenham, we are really throwing down the gauntlet to connections of high-class horses who think they have a chance of winning the Grand National.

“The National is increasingly attracting some outstanding chasers, and the race has already been muted as a future target for Denman. And of course Clive Smith has already had an Aintree runner-up with Royal Auclair.

“The ideal scenario, though perhaps not for the Betfair finance boys, is that three horses are in with a live chance of winning the Million at Aintree next April.

“And, at around £1.5m all in with prize money and the bonus, they would be running for the biggest prize in National Hunt history.”
(Source: Sporting Life)