Young journalists are being given the chance to get their hands on a share of £2,500 by entering a sports writing contest.

The Martin Wills Memorial Trust is looking for articles - fact or fiction - about any aspect of horseracing.

And the authors of the winning stories will be awarded cash prizes as well as seeing their work published in the Racing Post.

Organisers say originality, use of language, entertainment and the quality of writing is much more important than knowledge of racing.

The competition is open to those aged under 26 on January 1 2006 and there are two categories - under 26 and under 19.

Typewritten entries of no more than 1,200 words should be sent to The Trustees, The Martin Wills Memorial Trust, Henley Knapp Barn, Fulwell, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 4EN, by February 28.

The Martin Wills Memorial Trust commemorates Martin Wills, an amateur jockey, point-to-point rider, racing enthusiast and journalist who died in April 1992, aged 39.

Visit www.mrwc.org.uk/willswritingawards for more information.

Competition judges will include Brough Scott of The Sunday Telegraph and Racing Post, who has three times been winner of the UK Sports Feature Writer of the Year Award.