Ladbrokes to back renamed Stayers' Hurdle
Cheltenham have unveiled a major name change and a boost in prize money for the Stayers’ Hurdle at next year’s Festival meeting.
The race will now be known as the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and the Grade One three-mile event will have prize money of £200,000, compared with £140,000 this year.
With the Festival extended to four days next March, the Gold Cup is moving to the Friday, leaving the stayers’ championship race to take centre stage on the Thursday (March 17).
Chris Bell, chief executive of Ladbrokes Worldwide, said: “We have long supported the initiative to have four days at the Festival and we are delighted it has come about.
“The race programme which has been devised looks really strong and extremely attractive and we are looking forward to the Festival with great anticipation.
“We are very proud to be associated with the biggest betting festival of the year and delighted to be sponsoring the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.”
Cheltenham managing director Edward Gillespie added of the race, won last season by Iris’s Gift: “Having been nurtured as the second feature on both Champion Hurdle day and Gold Cup day, the sheer quality of recent contests makes this the most natural progression.
“We are thrilled to see this race rebranded as the Ladbrokes World Hurdle with a 40 per cent uplift in value.”
The full programme for the Thursday of the meeting has been announced, with the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase opening proceedings.
The Daily Telegraph Festival Chase, Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase, National Hunt Chase and Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final are also on the card.
The Jewson-sponsored event, run over two miles and five furlongs, is another new addition to the Festival and has £80,000 on offer in prize money.
Peter Hindle, managing director of Jewson, said: “We have experienced great success over six seasons with our sponsorship of the summer novices’ hurdle series and its October final at Cheltenham. This is now an outstanding opportunity for us to step on to the larger stage of Cheltenham’s exciting new Festival format.
“We hope this race will emerge as a major target for future champion chasers, and we are delighted to be working with the Cheltenham racecourse team in promoting that ambition.”
