Race & Stay has extended its partnership with Horse Racing Ireland Racecourses through to the end of 2029, building on a relationship that has helped bring more than 80,000 racegoers to Irish racing over the past 15 years.

The new multi-year agreement will see Race & Stay continue as the official guest partner of HRI Racecourses across Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary.

It also secures the specialist racing-tour operator’s sponsorship involvement at three of the biggest meetings on the Irish racing calendar: the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, the Navan Racing Festival and the Fairyhouse Easter Festival.

The extension is an interesting example of the overlap between sport, hospitality and tourism, with Race & Stay packaging accommodation, racecourse admission and hospitality for visitors from Ireland, Britain and further afield.

That model has become increasingly important for Irish racing as it looks not only to maximise attendance at major festivals but also to convert the international reputation of Irish horses, trainers and racecourses into more visitors and economic activity.

The agreement will also provide scope for future collaboration at Tipperary Racecourse, where work is progressing on a new all-weather track alongside a revamped turf track.

“Over recent years, Race & Stay have become a really valued partner, helping us promote Irish racing and enhance the overall experience for racegoers attending major festivals at HRI racecourses, as well as supporting and driving attendance across our year-round racing programme,” said Rob Crabbe, Commercial Manager at Horse Racing Ireland.

“We are excited to build on that success together over the coming years.”

For Race & Stay, the extension provides long-term visibility for some of the country’s strongest racing properties.

“Over the past 15 years, Race & Stay has established itself as Ireland’s leading horse racing tour specialist, welcoming more than 80,000 racegoers to Irish racing events,” said Lucy Beck, Managing Director of Race & Stay.

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved and the role we have played in introducing racing enthusiasts from Ireland, the UK and further afield to some of the finest racing experiences in the world.”

Beck said the next phase would focus on both Ireland’s flagship festivals and encouraging visitors to experience racing throughout the wider calendar.

“This renewed partnership provides an exciting opportunity to build on that success, not only by continuing to grow attendance at Ireland’s major racing festivals, but also by encouraging more people to discover the fantastic racing and hospitality available at Irish racecourses throughout the year.”

The partnership sits neatly within the wider sports-tourism opportunity around Irish racing.

Major meetings such as the Dublin Racing Festival and Fairyhouse Easter Festival already draw substantial travelling audiences, while the combination of racing, hospitality and accommodation gives HRI Racecourses an opportunity to develop longer-stay and higher-value visitor experiences.

For Race & Stay, the commitment through 2029 also provides a platform from which to create and market packages well in advance, particularly to international racing audiences.

The next three years will therefore be about more than sponsorship visibility. The commercial measure of the partnership will be how effectively it can turn Irish racing’s international appeal into additional racecourse attendance, overnight stays and repeat visits.

 

Sport for Business Perspective

The extension is a strong example of sponsorship being used as a route into direct commercial activity.

Race & Stay is not simply placing a brand around racing festivals; its core business is turning interest in Irish racing into actual visits, hospitality purchases, and overnight stays.

With more than 80,000 racegoers already brought into Irish racing through the business, there is a measurable tourism dimension to the partnership and one that can grow further as Tipperary’s redevelopment comes on stream.

It also highlights the wider opportunity for Irish sport to package major events as tourism experiences rather than simply standalone fixtures.

For racing, where Ireland already enjoys an international reputation out of proportion to the size of the domestic market, that opportunity is especially strong.

 

 

 

 

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Image Credit: Horse Racing Ireland

 

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