Dubai Duty Free has confirmed the renewal of its sponsorship of the Irish Derby at the Curragh racecourse, at least until the 150th running of the race in 2015.
Dubai Duty Free has supported the race since 2008 when it came on board after the ending of a 21 year association with Budweiser.  Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the last six renewals of the race and has won each of the first four British classics to be run in 2012.  It is not thought likely that Camelot, last weekend’s impressive winner of the Investec Epsom Derby will run this year.  2002 was the last of 15 occasions on which a horse has won at Epsom and the Curragh in their classic season.
The Dubai Duty Free involvement has seen the race grow into much more of a Derby festival which involves a Golf Classic, a Derby Ball and a Good Food Ireland Village which was first introduced in 2010.This year’s Irish Derby Ball will be held on Friday, June 29th in aid of Irish Autism Action.
The race itself will be held on Saturday, June 30th, avoiding a clash with the Leinster Senior Football Championship Final but still going head to head for an RTE audience with the Irish Open Golf at Royal Portrush, the Euro 2012 Championships and the European Athletics Championship.
“The promotion of sport has long been part of Dubai Duty Free’s marketing strategy of raising the profile of our brand and of Dubai itself and we are pleased with the level of exposure that we continue to generate in both the print and broadcast media for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby,” said Colm McGloughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free. “We are delighted to extend our sponsorship for a further three years, with an option for an additional two, and look forward to working with The Curragh to grow this event even further.”
The company is one of the world’s largest airport retailers with turnover last year of more than €1 billion and employing more than 4,000 staff.
Colm McGlaughlin started his career at Shannon Airport and was part of a ten man team sent by Aer Rianta to operate a Duty Free franchise for the Dubai government in 1983.
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