New sponsor takes reins until 2012

IRISH DERBY NEWS:THE AIRPORT retailer Dubai Duty Free has taken over the sponsorship of the Curragh Derby until 2012 and Ireland's most prestigious horse race will be known as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

A five-year deal between the company and the Curragh was confirmed yesterday and Dubai Duty Free will take over the sponsorship from Budwesier who had been sponsoring the Derby since 1986.

The race, which will be worth €1.5 million in total prize-money, will be run on June 29th as part of the three-day Irish Derby Festival and Dubai Duty Free will also sponsor a premier handicap on the Sunday card.

Other sponsorship deals on the support programmes will be announced within the next number of weeks but it is understood that Dubai Duty Free's investment over the coming five years will be in the region of €2 million.

"We are delighted to forge an even greater relationship with the Curragh and we look forward to exciting times ahead, in particular to 2010 when the new Curragh complex is due to be completed," said the managing director of Dubai Duty Free, Colm McLoughlin, yesterday.

The 2010 Derby was also in the minds of the Curragh authorities yesterday who expressed delight at landing what will be just the third ever sponsor of the Derby. It was known as the Irish Sweeps Derby prior to 1986.

"We had a number of companies who were keen but these people are very interested in working with us in terms of promotion and so on which will be very useful in terms of getting people through the gates," said Curragh spokesman Evan Arkwright.

This year will be the 143rd renewal of the Irish Derby which in the past has seen some of the sports legendary names emerge victorious.

Nijinsky in 1970 is among the horses that have added the Curragh classic to earlier Epsom Derby glory and others in that list include Shergar (1981), Sinndar (2000) and Galileo (2001.)

Dubai Duty Free, which is a Government of Dubai company, are expected to put €400,000 towards this year's €1.5 million Derby prize fund. The rest will be made up of owners entry fees and money from Horse Racing Ireland.

This year's Derby Festival runs from June 27th-29th.