Punchestown Racecourse has announced that online betting and casino company Betway has joined the sponsorship ranks at the home of Irish jump racing.
The Grade 2 Betway Craddockstown Novice Steeplechase will be the feature race on the opening day of the 2018 Punchestown Winter Festival, on Saturday November 17 and Sunday November 18.
The prestigious two mile chase worth €44,500 has produced top quality winners in the past with names such as Sizing John, Sizing Europe, Moscow Flyer and Limestone Lad appearing in the role of honour.
The race has proven a happy hunting ground for Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead who has won four of the last nine runnings, most recently in 2016 with Gigginstown House’s Identity Thief.
Earlier this year, Betway made their first step onto the Irish racing sponsorship scene during this year’s Galway Festival and now join forces with Punchestown to gain traction on the Graded jump racing stage.
Betway’s Alan Alger said: “The Galway Festival was excellent and we’re now very much looking forward to our second phase of sponsorship in Irish racing. Punchestown is right up there with the best of stages for jumps racing across the UK and Ireland, so we’re thrilled to be a part of that.
“It’s a great place for us to be branching out and we’re hugely excited to be sponsoring the feature race on the opening day of the Winter Festival. The race has produced some brilliant chasers over the years and we’re looking forward to the 2018 renewal with an added interest.”
