UAE/UK. The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend at Newbury Racecourse attracted record crowds and delivered high media exposure for the leading travel retailer.
Dubai Duty Free, which is marking 30 years of partnership with Newbury Racecourse in 2025, backed seven of the 14 races staged at the Berkshire track.
On Saturday trials for the British Flat racing season’s first two Classics, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, were held.
In the first of the Guineas trials, the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes was won by Duty First, trained locally in Lambourn by Archie Watson and ridden by Hollie Doyle. Other big winners included Andrew Balding’s Davina Grace and Jonquil, in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes and the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes, respectively.
Balding also won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Maiden for three-year-olds with Point of Contact.
The concluding race of an entertaining two days was the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Handicap over ten furlongs, won by Sweet Reward trained by Jonathan Portman, and owned by Old Stoic Racing Club.
Trophies for the Dubai Duty Free-sponsored races were presented by Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi along with Senior Manager Marketing Salim Dahman and Marketing & Events Supervisor Noel Parial.
On both days of the meeting Cidambi hosted a lunch for UK-based travel retail media, racing industry professionals, personalities and press. In his welcome remarks Cidambi paid a touching tribute to the company’s former CEO and Executive Vice Chairman, the late Colm McLoughlin, his wife Breeda, children and grandchildren who have enjoyed many happy times at Newbury Racecourse.
Cidambi also hailed Dubai Duty Free’s record sales for 2024 and noted the progress of the business in 2025 to date.
“We have just announced our first-quarter sales of US$565 million, so things are going well. It is thanks to the success of our retail business that we are able to support sponsorships such as this.”
At the Dubai Duty Free Marquee, racegoers could sample complimentary Arabic coffee and dates and win spot prizes including free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise Draws.
The company’s European horseracing sponsorship programme continues with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh on 29 June. ✈
