Airport retailer Dubai Duty Free has become an official sponsor of the UK’s Ascot Racecourse for the first time with annual benefits headlined by continued title sponsorship of the Shergar Cup for a further three years until at least 2016.
The world’s biggest duty free operator has also secured exclusive naming rights to all six races on the Shergar Cup card. Dubai Duty Free has been involved with Ascot since the move of the team jockeys’ competition from Goodwood in 2000, first as Rest of the World team sponsors and, from 2006, as event sponsors.
In line with this new agreement, all six races on the card will be raised in value by £10,000 (€12,000/$17,000) to £40,000 each.
Charles Barnett, chief executive at Ascot, said: “The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup is key to our overall global strategy for Ascot. We spend a lot of time promoting the Royal Meeting and King George to overseas owners and trainers and on this unique day of the year, that theme extends to the world’s best jockeys.
“We could not do this without the invaluable support of Dubai Duty Free and look forward to working with them on the event going forward.”