William Hill Expands Sponsorship of Irish Racing with Naas Festival Trials Day
William Hill is expanding its presence in Irish racing by becoming the title sponsor of the William Hill Spring Festivals Trials Day at Naas Racecourse on February 23, 2025. The bookmaker adds four races to its sponsorship portfolio, further strengthening its ties to the sport.
William Hill Backs Four Key Races
The deal includes sponsorship of 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.
These races have a strong track record of producing future stars.
Past Winners Who Rose to Prominence
Many top horses have emerged from these races. Bottler’secret, last season’s juvenile hurdle winner, later claimed a Grade 2 victory at Fairyhouse and finished second in a Grade 1 at Punchestown.
The William Hill (Pro/Am) Flat Race has also featured standout names like Carefully Selected, Gerri Colombe, Stellar Story, and William Munny.
Limerick Lace, a past winner of the Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase, later triumphed at the Cheltenham Festival. Home By The Lee has also reached Grade 1 level over hurdles.
Naas Racecourse Praises the Partnership
Aidan McGarry, Manager of Naas Racecourse, welcomed William Hill’s involvement:
“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.”
William Hill Strengthens Its Role in Irish Racing
Andrew McCleave, Head of Marketing for William Hill Ireland, highlighted the importance of the sponsorship:
“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.”