Ryanair unveiled as new World Hurdle sponsor at Cheltenham Festival
Thursday 18 February 2016 12:00, UK
Ryanair have been unveiled as the new sponsors of the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, taking over from Ladbrokes.
The bookmaker had sponsored the contest since 2005 but is currently not an Authorised Betting Partner within British racing and was unable to renew.
The airline now sponsors the two feature races on St Patrick's Thursday, having backed the Grade One Ryanair Chase since 2006. The World Hurdle sponsorship by Ryanair is for one year.
Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair, said: "We are very happy to step in to add the World Hurdle to our day's sponsorship, alongside the Ryanair Chase, and remain wholly supportive of The Jockey Club's stance with regard to Authorised Betting Partners which has led to this race becoming available for sponsorship this year."
Ian Renton, Regional Director of the south west region of Jockey Club Racecourses, added; "I am delighted that Ryanair have agreed to sponsor this year's World Hurdle but would also like to thank Ladbrokes for their commitment to the race in previous years.
"The race is gearing up to be as exciting as ever and, as the feature race of the third day of The Festival, this enables Ryanair to extend their profile through the sponsorship of both these Grade 1 races."
The World Hurdle, known as the Stayers' Hurdle up to and including 2004, was introduced with the current race conditions in 1972. Before that, the equivalent race was known as the Spa Hurdle.
Big Buck's created history in 2012 when becoming the first four-time winner. He was also successful in 2009, 2010 and 2011, but injury ruled him out of challenging in 2013. He was fifth on his final racecourse appearance in the 2014 World Hurdle.
The only triple winner is Inglis Drever, the victor in 2005, 2007 and 2008. There have been three dual winners - Crimson Embers (1982 & 1986), Galmoy (1987 & 1988), and Baracouda (2002 & 2003).
For the first time in 2016, Cheltenham Racecourse and The Iroquois, a race meeting staged near Nashville, Tennessee, US each May, will offer a US$500,000 bonus for any horse that can win both the World Hurdle and the Grade One Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle (3m) on May 14, 2016.
The bonus goes to any horse successful in both races within the space of 12 months, opening the door to horses who do not triumph at Cheltenham this March to make the trip to Tennessee in May and, if winning there, try to gain the bonus at The Festival in March, 2017.
To facilitate this new concept, investment manager Brown Advisory, based in the US and the UK, has agreed to sponsor the bonus which, if a horse were to take both races, means they will amass a total more than US$850,000 in prize money, to include the US$500,000 bonus.
