William Hill, one of the leading bookmakers, has extended its support of Irish racing by becoming the title sponsor of the William Hill Spring Festivals Trials Day at Naas Racecourse on 23rd February 2025.
The sponsorship deal includes four races, namely the Grade 3 William Hill Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle, the William Hill Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase, the William Hill Handicap Hurdle, and the William Hill (Pro/Am) Flat Race. This partnership adds further depth to William Hill’s presence in Ireland’s racing scene.
Last season, the William Hill Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle witnessed Bottler’s Secret make a winning debut over hurdles. Trained by Gavin Cromwell, the four-year-old went on to achieve success in a Grade 2 race at Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival and later finished second in a Grade 1 race at the Punchestown Festival.
The William Hill (Pro/Am) Flat Race has seen notable winners such as Carefully Selected, Gerri Colombe, Stellar Story, and William Munny. Previous placements have included horses like Ile Atlantique, Caldwell Potter, and Wingmen.
The William Hill Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase has a history of producing top talent, with winners such as Cheltenham Festival victor and Grade 1 performer Limerick Lace, as well as Home By The Lee, a leading contender at Grade 1 level over hurdles.
Aidan McGarry, Manager of Naas Racecourse, commented: “We are delighted to welcome William Hill as our sponsorship partner for one of our flagship fixtures.
“Naas Racecourse is a notorious nursery of champions – both over jumps and on the flat – and Festivals Trials Day at the end of February is perfectly timed with the right type of races for horses to go on and win some valuable jumps races at the major spring festivals.
“William Hill are title sponsors at both Cheltenham and Punchestown and we look forward to watching horses from our fixture on 23rd February go on to compete at those festivals as well as the likes of the Grand National meetings at Fairyhouse and Aintree.”
Andrew McCleave, Head of Marketing for William Hill Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to be sponsoring Spring Festivals Trials Day at Naas. This card has been a real springboard for future stars in recent years, and we’re really excited to see which promising individuals run at Naas on 23rd February.
“We also see this raceday as a fantastic addition to William Hill’s Irish sponsorship roster, which is headed by our headline season support of Dundalk Stadium and the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
“William Hill sees itself at the heart of the Irish racing scene, both with our array of sponsorships, but also with our team of ambassadors featuring Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue. This latest sponsorship fits in perfectly and we can’t wait for the action later this month.”
