SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Unibet has extended its sponsorship of the Unibet Champion Hurdle for a further five years.
The race takes place on the Old Course during the opening day of Cheltenham Festival, with only three companies having sponsored it before.
The Kindred Group-owned operator has sponsored the race since 2011, seven years as Stan James before Unibet took over in 2018.
Since its entry into the UK market in 2013, the Unibet brand has sponsored more than 2,000 races.
Ed Nicholson, Head of Kindred Group Racing, said: “We are delighted to sign a new long-term deal with the Jockey Club and further showcase Unibet’s commitment to UK horse racing.
“It is a huge honour to be associated with a race such as the Champion Hurdle and we are thrilled to be continuing our long-standing relationship with the Grade One feature.
“We are also looking forward to continuing the new-look Unibet Road to Cheltenham Series, including the new Unibet Hurdle, which will hopefully be a welcomed addition to Festival Trials Day at the end of January.”
Furthermore, the operator has also detailed that it will have a fresh look Road to Cheltenham series consisting of four hurdle races, including two Grade one contests for the best two milers in the country.
Neil Banbury, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Kindred Group, noted: “This agreement comes at a pivotal time for our sectors. Over the course of this new deal through to 2028, the landscape for betting and racing in the UK could look very different.”
Banbury assured that the group ‘fully understands’ the concerns currently being raised in the racing sector about the potential friction caused by some of the white paper consultations for millions of everyday racing punters.
He shared that the group is keen to continue being a partner to the sport and is committed to continue investing in and supporting it in the coming years.
Ian Renton, Managing Director at Jockey Club Racecourses, concluded: “Unibet and Kindred Group are longstanding supporters of The Cheltenham Festival and British racing more widely, and we are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with them for the next five years.
“We look forward to the Road to Cheltenham Series beginning once again in its new format across the 2023/24 season when the competition from both sides of the Irish sea looks as exciting as it ever has.”
