Coral Scottish Grand National Festival
Racing UKG4S

NEW SPONSOR CONFIRMED FOR AYR GOLD CUP

JOHN SMITH'S TO SPONSOR AYR GOLD CUP 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.

Current News

5th

ALEXANDRA BURKE TO HEADLINE SAINTS AND SINNERS

Wednesday March 10, 2010 ALEXANDRA BURKE HEADS TO THE RACES[IMG: 795 width="240" height="455" align="right" alt="Alexandra Burke" border="0" hspace="0" name="795"] X Factor winner and chart topp
Info & book

5th

DOUBLE HEADER THIS WEEKEND

Wednesday March 10, 2010 TWO DAY MEETING AT AYR AYR Racecourse holds a two day meeting on Friday and Saturday this week featuring the La Barrique Fine Wines Raceday on Friday and the Blue Square R
Info & book

5th

WE'RE HAVING A LAUGH AFTER RACING !

Wednesday March 3, 2010 PLAYING IT FOR LAUGHS AT THE RACECOURSE COMEDY comes to Ayr Racecourse on Saturday (March 13) when three of Scotland's top comedians take to the stage after racing. The
Info & book

5th

TWO DAY MARCH MEETING

Tuesday March 2, 2010 RACING RETURNS WITH TWO DAY MEETING [IMG: 790 width="200" height="188" align="right" alt="Racing at Ayr" border="0" hspace="0" name="790"] AYR Racecourse holds a two day me
Info & book


Tel: 01292264179 | info@ayr-racecourse.co.uk | 2 -6 Whittletts Road Ayr, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, KA8 0JE