Ryanair secure World Hurdle sponsorship

Ryanair will take over the sponsorship of the World Hurdle at Cheltenham after British Racing’s Authorised Betting Partner scheme saw Ladbrokes demoted from the sponsorship rights.

The ABP scheme, in which bookmakers are required to pay a percentage of their digital profits on horseracing back to the sport as levy, encourages racecourses to adopt new sponsorship deals only with bookmakers who were part of the scheme.

Unfortunately for Ladbrokes they did not sign up to the agreement and that has allowed Ryanair to swoop in, with the Irish airline’s boss Michael O’Leary wasting no time in securing the prestigious responsibility.

O’Leary is heavily involved in Irish racing, as owner at Gigginstown House Stud, which have some of the best horses in Ireland and the UK.

Aside from having his hand in the pot at Cheltenham both on the racetrack and in the sponsorship side of affairs, the Ryanair boss will be looking to the Grand National soon after as he has an excellent chance with Don Poli.

Plenty of Grand National Tips have put Don Poli forward as one of the main protagonists for this year’s Grand National and at 10-1 with Coral he looks as if he could go very close for O’Leary and Gigginstown this year.

Every race at the Grand National festival is sure to be a tight-run affair but if you’re looking for a tip then O’Leary’s mount looks great value to give the Ryanair boss a Grand National victory.

With the Grand National just over a couple of months away though, the Ryanair boss is first focused on Cheltenham and he is delighted at securing the sponsorship for the World Hurdle, a race he could have a runner in.

"We are very happy to step in to add the World Hurdle to our day's sponsorship, alongside the Ryanair Chase, and remain wholly supportive of the Jockey Club's stance with regard to Authorised Betting Partners which has led to this race becoming available for sponsorship this year," said the Irishman.

"I am delighted that Ryanair have agreed to sponsor this year's World Hurdle but would also like to thank Ladbrokes for their commitment to the race in previous years," added Jockey Club Racecourses’ Ian Renton.

The agreement with Ryanair is for one-year with a possible option to extend.