Last week was a good one for Irish Horse Racing with new sponsors confirmed for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and for the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
The latter will remain at a €250,000 prize value with Boylesports stepping in to replace Ladbrokes as the supporters of the race that will be watched by almost half a million viewers on Easter Monday.
The former, in the more high octane financial world of flat racing will have a prize fund of €1 million now that Qatari Investment company Qipco has come on board as the primary sponsor.
The same company is the current sponsor of British Champions Day at Ascot and other major British races. is one of the leading private investment companies in Qatar, owned by six brothers who are members of the Royal Family of Qatar.
“On behalf of my brothers and I, we are delighted to support Irish Champions Weekend through sponsorship of the Irish Champion Stakes,” said Sheikh Fahad Bin Abdullah Al Thani, Director of QIPCO Holding. “The deal builds on our existing ties and investment in Ireland via the horses in-training we have there under the banner of Qatar Racing, a subsidiary of QIPCO Holding.”
“Sponsorship of the Irish Champions Stakes compliments our portfolio of interests in Britain, which include the key middle distance championship races at Ascot, the King George and the QIPCO Champions Stakes on British Champions Day. We very much support the development of an integrated programme of quality racing in Europe.”
Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, welcomed the announcement as a major endorsement of the move towards creating a world class weekend of Irish racing as part of the Champions’ Weekend.
“We are honoured to welcome Qipco as sponsors of the Irish Champion Stakes and on behalf of Horse Racing Ireland, I would like to thank Sheikh Hamad, Sheikh Fahad and their family for their support.
“The Irish Champion Stakes is one of the most important races in the international flat racing calendar and with the involvement of Qipco it can become the first leg of a ‘Triple Crown’ of European Championship races, followed by the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp and the Qipco British Champions Stakes at Ascot in October.”
The total prize fund for the Champions Weekend in September will be in excess of €3.7 million, an increase of €1.4 million on the previous year, thanks mainly to significantly enhanced levels of race sponsorship.
“This sponsorship exemplifies what we set out to do in creating Irish Champions Weekend – produce a weekend of high-value races to attract the top names in international racing and showcase our flat racing industry,” added Kavanagh.
“The response of sponsors to the concept has been outstanding and Ireland will now have a championship weekend to bear comparison with the best international meetings.”
