Paddy Power is today revealed as the new sponsor of the G1 Stayers' Hurdle at The Festival™ presented by Magners.
The Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle takes place at 3.30pm on Thursday, 12 March and is one of the two G1 championship races on day three of The Festival alongside the Ryanair Chase.
Staged over three miles, the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle was introduced to The Festival under its current conditions in 1972. It has been a very good contest for multiple winners, headed by four-time scorer Big Buck's (2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012). The one triple winner is Inglis Drever, successful in 2005, 2007 and 2008, while there have been three dual winners - Crimson Embers (1982 & 1986), Galmoy (1987 & 1988) and Baracouda (2002 & 2003).
The 2019 running went to Paisley Park, who is 5/4 favourite with Paddy Power to take the honours again this year. Paisley Park is in action tomorrow at Cheltenham, Festival Trials Day, in the G2 galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.
Leading Irish bookmakerPaddy Power has long been associated with Cheltenham Racecourse and sponsored the highlight of The November Meeting, run as the G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup, between 2003 and 2015 inclusive.
Paddy Power returned to sponsorship at the Home of Jump Racing on New Year's Day this year and also backs two races on Festival Trials Day tomorrow, including the leading Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup trial, the G2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.
To catch up with all the latest from Paddy Power ahead of The Festival, listen to their new From the Horse's Mouth podcast. Paddy Power himself and Ruby Walsh, the most successful jockey ever at The Festival, it is available every week on all podcast platforms. The latest edition will be posted at 3.00pm today.
Paul Mallon, head of brand marketing for horse racing Paddy Power, said:
"As fans, we have long thought of the Stayers' Hurdle as one of the most compelling Cheltenham Festival races.
"Big Bucks, Baracouda, Inglis Driver, Paisley Park - winners of this race become legends."
Carey Weeks, regional head of partnerships for Jockey Club Racecourses South West, added:
"Paddy Power has a long association with Cheltenham Racecourse and it is fantastic that its first race sponsorship at The Festival will be in one of the G1 championship races, the Stayers' Hurdle.
"It has been great to work alongside the team atb Paddy Power following the company's return to sponsorship at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. With Paddy Power's support for two races on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham tomorrow and now a first race sponsorship at The Festival, this hopefully signals a fruitful relationship for both parties."
The Festival™ presented by Magners 2020 race programme
Day One - Tuesday, March 10 (Old Course) - prize money £1,175,000
1.30pm Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y £125,000
2.10pm Racing Post Arkle Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y £175,000
2.50pm Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 3m 1f £110,000
3.30pm Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y £450,000
4.10pm David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 3f 200y £120,000
4.50pm Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase (Listed) 2m 4f 44y £70,000
5.30pm National Hunt Chase (Amateur Riders' Novices' Chase) (Grade 2) 3m 5f 201y £125,000
Day Two - Wednesday, March 11 (Old Course & Cross Country) - prize money £1,020,000
1.30pm Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 5f £125,000
2.10pm RSA Insurance Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 3m 80y £175,000
2.50pm Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 5f £100,000
3.30pm Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 99y £400,000
4.10pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 3m 6f 37y £65,000
4.50pm Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 87y £80,000
5.30pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m 87y £75,000
Day Three - Thursday, March 12 (New Course) - prize money £1,195,000
1.30pm Marsh Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 2m 3f 166y £150,000
2.10pm Pertemps Network Final (Handicap Hurdle) (Grade 3) 2m 7f 213y £100,000
2.50pm Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 127y £350,000
3.30pm Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y £325,000
4.10pm Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate (Handicap Chase) (Grade 3) 2m 4f 166y £110,000
4.50pm Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m 179y £90,000
5.30pm Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase 3m 2f £70,000
Day Four - Friday, March 13 (New Course) - prize money £1,200,000
1.30pm JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 179y £125,000
2.10pm Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 179y £100,000
2.50pm Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y £125,000
3.30pm Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y £625,000
4.10pm St James's Place Foxhunter Chase 3m 2f 70y £45,000
4.50pm Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 2m 62y £110,000
5.30pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (0-145) 2m 4f 56y £70,000
