SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Unibet has reached a ‘landmark’ in its support of horse racing since its UK launch, with two fixtures over the weekend set to mark the operator’s 1000th sponsorship.
The online operator will reach the landmark number on Sunday 15 November, a day on which it sponsors both the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown as well as the Grade 3 Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Ed Nicholson, Head of Kindred Racing Sponsorship and Communications, said: “Since Unibet’s UK launch in 2013, the Unibet brand alone has now sponsored in excess of 1000 horse races, a figure which rises to close on 2,500 for the Kindred Group in its entirety when you add in Stan James and 32Red sponsored events from the dates we acquired them in July 2015 and February 2017 respectively.
“Unibet will reach that 1000 sponsored-race landmark on Sunday, at Punchestown, when we sponsor a new Grade 2 hurdle entitled the Unibet 1000th Race Celebration Hurdle. Then, 30 minutes later, the next 1000 begin with the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana, followed closely by the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.”
Unibet has demonstrated a growing support for the horse racing industry through its flagship sponsorship of the Road to Cheltenham series, which comprises six two-mile hurdle races throughout the season culminating in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Since its 2013 entry into the UK market, Unibet has sponsored a number of races at tracks across the UK, as well as being named the Official Betting Partners of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Nicholson continued: “To help celebrate the Unibet 1000th Race Celebration Hurdle we’re are SUPERBOOSTING every runner in that race (Punchestown 1.40pm), while we will be top price on every runner in both the Unibet Morgiana and Unibet Greatwood hurdles (from 10am on Sunday).
“The Unibet Greatwood Hurdle is the third race in the Unibet Road to Cheltenham series of six races. It has always thrown up quality two-mile hurdlers since its inception in 1987; that year Celtic Shot won before taking the Unibet Champion Hurdle the following March and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if the winner of this year’s renewal became a Unibet Champion Hurdle contender.”
