Guess what? We’re the new sponsor of the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.
The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle takes place at 3.30pm on Thursday, 12 March and is one of the two G1 championship races on day three of The Festival alongside the Ryanair Chase.
Staged over three miles, the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle was introduced to The Festival under its current conditions in 1972. It has been a very good contest for multiple winners, headed by four-time scorer Big Buck’s (2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012). The one triple winner is Inglis Drever, successful in 2005, 2007 and 2008, while there have been three dual winners – Crimson Embers (1982 & 1986), Galmoy (1987 & 1988) and Baracouda (2002 & 2003).
The 2019 running went to Paisley Park, who is 5/4 favourite with us to take the honours again this year. Paisley Park is in action tomorrow at Cheltenham, Festival Trials Day, in the G2 galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.
We have long been associated with Cheltenham Racecourse and sponsored the highlight of The November Meeting, run as the G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup, between 2003 and 2015 inclusive. So we decided to return to sponsorship at the Home of Jump Racing on New Year’s Day this year and also backs two races on Festival Trials Day tomorrow, including the leading Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup trial, the G2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.
To catch up with all the latest racing stuff ahead of The Festival, download the Paddy Power From the Horse’s Mouth podcast. Featuring Paddy Power himself and Ruby Walsh, the most successful jockey ever at The Festival, it is available every week on all podcast platforms.
Paul Mallon, our head of brand marketing for horse racing, said: “As fans, we have long thought of the Stayers’ Hurdle as one of the most compelling Cheltenham Festival races.
“Big Bucks, Baracouda, Inglis Driver, Paisley Park – winners of this race become legends.”
Carey Weeks, regional head of partnerships for Jockey Club Racecourses South West, added: “Paddy Power has a long association with Cheltenham Racecourse and it is fantastic that its first race sponsorship at The Festival will be in one of the G1 championship races, the Stayers’ Hurdle.
“It has been great to work alongside the team at Paddy Power following the company’s return to sponsorship at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. With Paddy Power’s support for two races on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham tomorrow and now a first race sponsorship at The Festival, this hopefully signals a fruitful relationship for both parties.”
Stayers’ favs: Paisley Park 5/4, Benie Des Dieux 5/1, If The Cap Fits 7/1