Lexus has agreed to a three year extension of its support for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown’s popular Christmas meeting.
This will bring the relationship to one that has lasted for ten years. Lexus originally took over from Ericsson who had been a similar long term supporter of the race.
Regularly attracting the best of jump racing’s stars from Ireland and Britain the race has produced multiple winners of Cheltenham’s prestigious Gold Cup in March. Last year’s winner Bobs Worth did so having won at Cheltenham the previous March.
Lexus will use the sponsorship to profile a wide range of vehicles at a time which is crucial for new car sales.
“We are proud to celebrate the tenth year of the Lexus Chase,” said Kevin O’Reilly, Head of Lexus Ireland.
“Since 2004, when Lexus first came on board as a sponsor, the race has grown to become the sporting and social highlight of the National Hunt calendar. The superb quality of racing, the high footfall the race attracts and the timing on the cusp of the New Year provides us with compelling reasons to support this race and showcase our all-hybrid luxury range to race goers.”
“We are delighted that Lexus has renewed their valuable sponsorship for another three years,” added Ciaran Conroy, Commercial Manager of Leopardstown.
Leopardstown is one of few racecourses across Britain and Ireland that hosts top class action that spans the distinctive summer and winer racing seasons.
In September it was a co host of the inaugural Irish Champions’ Weekend with significant new sponsorship brought in from Jaguar and John Deere.
This extension of the anchor sponsorship of the four day meeting which generates the largest crowds of the year at the track is another significant boost for the only racecourse in County Dublin.
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The sport of racing was in mourning yesterday with the announcement that well known jockey and trainer Dessie Hughes had passed away at the age of 71.
Hughes rode and trained the winner of the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle with Monksfield and Hardy Eustace and his son Richard Hughes has been Champion Jockey in Britain.
Funeral mass will take place at the Carmelite Church in Kildare Town at 1pm on Tuesday.
