30 day foal notification

30 Day Foal Notification is part of British racing’s ongoing commitment to the highest possible welfare standards for our horses, at every stage of their lives.

The person responsible for a thoroughbred foal born in Great Britain and bred for racing – normally the owner or breeder – is required to notify the General Stud Book (GB) at Weatherbys within 30 days of the birth (day 1 being the date of birth).

Notification enables the BHA to trace the whereabouts of the foal before they arrive in a registered training yard. This helps improve transparency and traceability around the care that breeders and owners provide to thoroughbred horses and ensures that the horse will be eligible to race in Great Britain when it is of age.

Notification is FREE within the first 30-days of the foal’s life. Just go to the Weatherbys online portal and follow the on-screen instructions. 

To make things easier for breeders and owners, 30-day foal notification and foal registration – a separate process used to check parentage and pedigree – can both be completed on the Weatherbys online portal. However, notification should be completed first.

If a 30 Day Foal Notification is completed outside the 30 day period: 

The foal will not be eligible to race in Great Britain. 

In this scenario, the Responsible Person must contact the BHA’s Traceability Helpdesk as soon as possible. 

The Traceability Helpdesk team will be able to manage any enquires relating to late 30-day foal notifications, consider the circumstances and advise on the next steps to ensure compliance with the Rules of Racing.

This may include making the foal available for testing to ensure the BHA has up-to-date information and knowledge about any medication administered since birth.

A BHA Veterinary Officer will collect a blood and hair sample from the foal, which will be analysed by a BHA-approved laboratory to confirm that there is no evidence of the presence or use of a substance or method prohibited at all times under the Rules of Racing.  

The Responsible Person must submit a Whereabouts Information Form (GB Bred Foal) for each relevant horse. 

The foal will be eligible to race under the BHA Rules of Racing following:

    (i) the receipt of a negative certificate of analysis from a BHA-approved laboratory; and

    (ii) registration of the horse with Weatherbys.

A notification email will be sent to the responsible person and Weatherbys to inform them of the results of tests conducted and to inform them of the BHA’s decision. 

For all equine anti-doping forms, please visit the forms page.