William Hill has become the first headline sponsor of Cheltenham’s two-day Showcase Meeting, the traditional curtain-raiser to the National Hunt season. The event begins on Friday and forms part of a busy weekend of racing sponsorships for the bookmaker, which also includes Saturday’s Group One Futurity Stakes at Doncaster and Sunday’s Old Roan Chase at Aintree.
The partnership builds on William Hill’s previous sponsorship of the Showcase Saturday in 2024 and includes five races across the meeting, among them the £100,000 William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase on Saturday.
In addition to Cheltenham, William Hill continues its support of major fixtures across the British racing calendar. The Group One William Hill Futurity Stakes will close the Flat season at Doncaster before attention turns to Aintree, where the bookmaker sponsors four races on the card, including the William Hill Old Roan Chase — a contest famously won by Kauto Star en route to Cheltenham Gold Cup success.
Mark Howarth, William Hill’s Director of Racing, said: “We’re thrilled to be headline sponsors of the William Hill Showcase Meeting this year. This meeting really is where the Jumps season kicks off, and we can’t wait to be at the home of National Hunt racing to see the beginning of another enthralling campaign.
“Alongside Cheltenham, we’re also pleased to announce our sponsorship of the William Hill Old Roan Chase on Sunday at Aintree. This race has been a fantastic starting point for the seasons of some modern greats, and we’re excited to further strengthen our relationship with the Jockey Club with this partnership. Let’s hope there’s another Kauto Star ready to burst onto the scene on Sunday!
“With sponsorships at Cheltenham, Aintree, and of course Doncaster’s Group One Futurity Stakes, we are delighted to continue supporting British racing and cannot wait for the weekend to start early on Friday at Prestbury Park and Town Moor.”
Daniel Glavin, Betting Partnerships Manager at The Jockey Club, said: “We’re thrilled to be strengthening our longstanding partnership with William Hill as they become the first ever title sponsor of Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting. Their continued support across both codes of British racing is clear, and adding this weekend’s Cheltenham fixture and Old Roan Chase to their existing sponsorship of Aintree’s Boxing Day meeting and the William Hill County Hurdle at The Festival highlights their commitment in a big way. We’re looking forward to a fantastic few days of racing to kick off the Jumps season in style.”
