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UAE/UK. Dubai Duty Free will kick off the first of four horseracing fixtures under its sponsorship this weekend at the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Meeting, taking place at Newbury Racecourse in Berkshire, England.
The meeting on 17-18 April also marks the 20th year of the travel retailer’s Newbury sponsorship. Dubai Duty Free sponsors seven of the 14 races, offering over £200,000 in prize-money.
Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin said: “This year’s running of the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes marks a significant milestone in our relationship with Newbury and with British racing, although Dubai’s association with the race formally known as the Fred Darling Stakes pre-dates our entry into horseracing sponsorship in the UK.
“During the past 20 years we have seen dramatic growth in our own business and we have also been pleased to be able to watch Newbury Racecourse develop into the multi-facetted operation it is now.”
Spectators will have the chance to sample Dubai’s hospitality at the event, with complimentary dates and traditional Arabic coffee being offered in the Dubai Duty Free Marquee adjacent to the parade ring.
Visitors can also win free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise and Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draws.
Dubai Duty Free senior executives led by Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications Salah Tahlak and Vice President Marketing Sinead El Sibai will be in attendance to welcome guests from the UK racing and travel retail industries and to present trophies.
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Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications Salah Tahlak and Vice President Marketing Sinead El Sibai present trophies to Charles Lavington, William Buick and trainer John Gosden following their victory for Western Hymn in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Conditions Stakes in 2014 |
The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials is the first of four horseracing fixtures sponsored by Dubai Duty Free throughout the year. Last year saw Kingman defeat subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder, as well as top-class individuals Western Hymn, J Wonder and Eagle Top making their seasonal reappearances.
New Providence, trained in Newmarket by Hugo Palmer, looks set to contest the Dubai Duty Free Stakes ahead of a crack at the 1,000 Guineas in May. The filly, who won three of her six starts last season including a Group 3 at Salisbury in September, looks to follow the same path as the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum owned, Lahan, who used the race as a stepping stone ahead of Classic glory in 2000.
The remaining three horseracing fixtures include the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh in June, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot in August and the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend, which returns to Newbury in September.
