From iconic Meydan to historic Newbury
Dubai Duty Free’s horseracing season is underway
       
 
Thursday, April 08, 2010

Dubai Duty Free, the world's number one airport retailer, returns to Newbury for a remarkable fifteenth consecutive year as title sponsor of the Berkshire course's important two-day 'Spring Trials Meeting' - beginning on Friday, 16 April.

The multi-award winning duty free organisation is backing seven races with a total advertised value of £190,000, and featuring the Dubai Duty Free Stakes on the second day of the fixture.

A Group 3 event, this seven furlongs contest which has a guaranteed prize fund of £65,000, has an outstanding record as pointer to the first fillies' Classic race of the season, the 1,000 Guineas.

The brilliant Bosra Sham won the inaugural running under the Dubai Duty Free banner in 1996 and since then, Sleepytime, Wince, Lahan have all used the race as a stepping stone to Classic success.

Seventeen runners faced the starter for last year's renewal which was won by Lahaleeb, trained by Mick Channon who was winning the race for a fourth time having been previously successful with Queen's Logic, Majestic Desert and Majestic Roi.

Significantly, the Newmarket-trained filly Sariska, who could finish only fourth that day went on to even greater glory winning both the English and Irish Oaks.

One of British horseracing's most enduring partnerships, the Dubai Duty Free Spring Meeting at Newbury signals the start of the company's European race sponsorship programme which continues with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh in June.

August sees the running of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot, the world's premier international jockeys' tournament which has become a 'must see' event, routinely attracting crowds in excess of 30,000.

Dubai Duty Free returns to Newbury, which began racing more than one hundred years ago, in support of its two-day September meeting featuring the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes, named after the 1971 Epsom Derby winner.

In addition to the action on the track, racegoers will be invited to sample a taste of the Dubai in the Arabian Marquee, and will also have the chance to win entry into Dubai Duty Free’s Finest Surprise luxury car draw and Millennium Millionaire promotion.

Commenting on its sponsorhip Dubai Duty Free’s Managing Director, Colm McLoughlin said, “Horseracing has become an increasingly important element of our sport sponsorship portfolio as it enables us to extend our audience reach and showcase Dubai. The convivial atmosphere of the racecourse provides us with an opportunity to entertain existing clients and forge many new relationships.”

Said Newbury's managing director, Stephen Higgins, 'Dubai Duty Free is among Newbury's oldest-established sponsors and we are delighted to have the opportunity of hosting them, and their guests, once again this year.

'Their support is very much appreciated and enables us to maintain our prize money levels which, in turn, helps to attract top class horses and headline riders.'

Sponsorship and the support of international sporting events has been an integral part of Dubai Duty Free's marketing strategy since its formation in 1983, and it has proved to be a highly successful platform for the global promotion of Dubai its world-class sporting, leisure and business enterprises.

- ends –