sponsorship

In the 1960s British racing had the chance to own bookmaking. But it's happening the other way round. Bookmakers are moving closer to owning racing. Betfred's headline sponsorship of all five Classics - the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks and St Leger - from 2025 is manna to racecourse execs whose job it is to find backers for marquee events. With the Qatar-owned Qipco stepping back from sponsorship of the Guineas meeting and King George at Ascot from next year (they're maintaining their support for Champions Day), the prestige...

Woodbine Entertainment and Helmets to Hardhats Canada (H2H), a group that supports Canadian veterans, reservists, senior cadets, military family members and Afghan interpreters in finding second careers through the construction industry, will partner for the 2024 running of the King's Plate held Aug. 17. The partnership will see H2H recognized as the Official Building Trades Unions Veteran's Liaison and a Canadian veteran will be included in the opening ceremony for the race. "Woodbine is proud to support Helmets to Hardhats and its valuable objectives," said Woodbine Entertainment CEO Michael Copeland....

Tattersalls has renewed its sponsorship of the G2 Oaks d'Italia at Milan's San Siro Racecourse, operated by Snaitech, it was announced on Tuesday. The second Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls will be held on Sunday, June 9 and run over a distance of one mile and three furlongs. First run in 1910, the Classic will offer a prize fund of €388,000 which makes it the fourth most valuable Group 2 race in Europe. It stands alongside the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Tattersalls Polish...

Al Shira'aa Racing have been announced as the new sponsors of the race previously known as the Cornelscourt S., won in 2023 by the classy Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). The G3 Al Shira'aa Racing 'Mutamakina' S., run over a mile for three-year-old fillies, will be held at Leopardstown Racecourse on Sunday, May 12. The race will be named after Al Shira'aa's high-class racemare Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). A Listed winner and Group 2-placed when trained in France by Carlos Laffon-Parias, Mutamakina later moved across the Atlantic to Christophe Clement for...

Trainer Brian Toomey will be sponsored by Star Sports for the 2024 Flat season. Toomey partnered just shy of 50 winners during his time as a National Hunt jockey, but his career in the saddle was brought to a premature end when he suffered a heavy fall at Perth in 2013 which almost claimed his life. He joined the training ranks having been granted his licence in October last year and has since saddled three winners, with the breakthrough coming when the Harry Redknapp-owned Wake Up Harry (GB) (Le Havre...

Meath jockey Siobhan Rutledge will be sponsored by Leopardstown Racecourse for the 2024 Flat season. Rutledge began her racing career in 2018 having graduated from the RACE Racing Academy. Riding predominantly for Stamullen-based trainer John McConnell, Rutledge has since clocked up a total of 73 career winners, notable winning the 2023 Connacht Oaks aboard Starry Heavens (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for Jessica Harrington. "I'm delighted to announce my partnership with Leopardstown Racecourse," said Rutledge. "I'm incredibly grateful for this amazing sponsorship opportunity and I can't wait to represent their brand on...

Al Shira'aa Racing have been announced as the new sponsors of the G3 Prix Vanteaux in a two-year partnership with France Galop. The 2024 edition of the Al Shira'aa Racing Prix Vanteaux, run over nine furlongs for three-year-old fillies, will be held at Longchamp's opening fixture of the season on Sunday, April 7. Kieran Lalor, Al Shira'aa Racing's bloodstock and racing manager, said, "We are delighted to come on board as sponsor of the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux. It is a very important prep race for the Classics and one...

Following its inaugural sponsorship last year, Betfred has increased its support of the Derby meeting and now has naming rights to the two-day fixture at Epsom, which will be branded the Betfred Derby Festival.  The company's partnership with the Jockey Club will continue until at least 2026. Betfred will now sponsor six of the races across Oaks day and Derby day, including those  two Classics, with the original three-year deal extended by a further 12 months. "Following on from a memorable two days at Epsom last year we are delighted...

The third annual IRE Incentive Raceday at Newbury on Friday, July 21, will be sponsored by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. The day's feature race will be the Listed IRE Incentive It Pays To Buy Irish Rose Bowl S. for 2-year-olds. Three additional juvenile races on the card will also be included in the ITM IRE Incentive scheme. Should the winner of any 2-year-old race on the day be Irish-bred and foal levy compliant, the winning owner will receive a €10,000 sales bonus, which can be redeemed against other Irish-bred and foal...

Newmarket's G1 July Cup is to be sponsored by Pertemps Network, one of the UK's largest recruitment agencies. The top-class sprint, with a total prize fund of £600,000, is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series and takes place on the final day of the Boodles July Festival, which concludes on Saturday, July 15. Pertemps is already a major sponsor of racing at the Cheltenham Festival, where it has given its backing to the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle since 2002. It was also previously the sponsor of the St...

A new QuinnBet three-race handicap series at the Curragh was announced by the companies on Thursday. QuinnBet, who partnered with the racecourse on this endeavour, will award a cash prize to the staff of the trainer who accumulates the highest number of points in the three handicaps. Points are earned for filling the first five places in specific handicaps on July 23, Aug. 12 and Oct. 7. In addition, QuinnBet will present prizes to the groom in charge of the horse judged to be best turned out in their three...

Insurance broker Howden has extended its backing of British racing with mass sponsorship at this weekend's Guineas meeting at Newmarket. While QIPCO retains the sponsorship of the first two Classics of the season, the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, the Howden name is now attached to 13 races across the Saturday and Sunday of the three-day fixture that kicks off the QIPCO British Champions Series. These include the G2 Howden Dahlia S. and G3 Howden Palace House S. David Howden, who was profiled last year in TDN, is the founder of...