NEW SPONSOR CONFIRMED FOR AYR GOLD CUP
JOHN SMITH'S TO SPONSOR AYR GOLD CUP 
JOHN Smith's is to sponsor the
Ayr Gold Cup Festival, Scotland's top horse racing event of the
flat season which includes the richest sprint handicap in Europe
the Ayr Gold Cup.
The drinks brand, synonymous with the sport through their long
standing sponsorship of the Grand National at Aintree, will be the
main sponsors for the three day Festival in September replacing the
Tote who had sponsored the race since 2001.
The first John Smith's Ayr Gold Cup will be run on Saturday
September 20, the third and final day of the 2008 John Smith's
Ayr Gold Cup Festival.
Announcing the sponsorship deal Alasdair Moore, Regional Sales
Director West of Scotland for Scottish & Newcastle UK North
said : "We are delighted John Smith's will be the new
sponsors of the Ayr Gold Cup. The race is famous throughout Europe
and this is a tremendous opportunity for us."
Chairman of Ayr Racecourse, Alan Macdonald said : "I am
thrilled to welcome John Smith's one of the most famous names
in racing to be the new sponsor of the Ayr Gold Cup Festival. The
biggest race of the Festival is the Ayr Gold Cup itself and the
John Smith's sponsorship is set to increase the prize money on
offer for the big races on the Friday and Saturday.
"The John Smith's Ayr Silver Cup run on Friday which is
Ladies Day will be run for a total prize fund of £50,000 a
tremendous sum considering this is a consolation race. The main
race of the Festival, the John Smith's Ayr Gold Cup will now
have a fantastic £150,000 prize fund which will ensure that
this will be a target for all the top trainers.
"Since we took over Ayr John Smith's have been a great
supporter for Ayr and have played a significant role in its
resurgence. My thanks go to Scottish & Newcastle UK North for
this further commitment."
The Ayr Gold Cup was first run in 1804 and won by Chancellor, also
the winner the following year.The first Ayr Gold Cup to be staged
on the current Ayr track was in 1907 and was won by Mr. R. Waldie
Griffith's Charis, a five year-old trained by R. Sherwood.
Last year's race was won by Advanced, trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Jamie Spencer and over the three days crowds of 22,630, the highest for more than 30 years, flocked to the course.
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