Irish Racing has received another boost with news confirmed yesterday that Dubai Duty Free is to extend its sponsorship of the Irish Derby at the Curragh by another year.
The 2018 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will be the 11th run under the name and also marks eighteen years since the brand first developed an association with the Kildare venue. It is only the third commercial sponsor of the race after long-term partnerships with The Irish Hospital Sweepstake from 1962 and Budweiser between 1986 and 2007.
The racecourse is currently in the second and final year of a major redevelopment which will turn it into one of the world’s most modern and advanced racing venues, a fitting stage for Ireland’s place in the horse racing world.
2019 will see the first running of the race in the new surroundings and it is to be hoped that this year’s single renewal might be negotiated into a longer term agreement again ahead of that milestone for the venue.
This year’s race takes place on Saturday 30th June as the highlight of the three day Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival. This will be the weekend before Dubai Duty Free also hosts the Irish Open golf at Ballyliffin in County Donegal. Both events command significant international exposure and have become a vital p[art of the Irish sporting summer.
The 2017 running of the Group One Classic, won by Capri, was officially the highest rated race in the world for three-year-olds and in the top 10 of the overall world’s best races of 2017.
The total value of the 12-furlong contest will be 1.5 million euro with prize money distributed to the first eight placed horses with the winner receiving 870,000 euro.
Dubai Duty Free will also sponsor five other races on the day and support free entry for the winners of some of the worlds other richest and most prestigious races to maintain the international standing of the main event.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with the Curragh for 2018 and happy that our association with the Curragh has grown over the years,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free
“The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby is now a weekend festival of quality racing and entertainment and the media exposure generated greatly raises the profile of our brand in Ireland.”
“Dubai Duty Free have been outstanding partners of the Curragh and I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution that Colm McLoughlin and his team have made to the success of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby over the past ten years.”
Irish Derby winning trainers Aidan O’Brien, Dermot Weld and John Oxx were also delighted to hear the very positive news about Ireland’s premier flat race.
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