Warwick Racecourse’s summer carnival of racing will be flying higher this year with the backing of a world-leading international airline. 

It has attracted new headline sponsorship for 2018 from Qatar Airways, which operates out of Birmingham Airport, and will be billed as the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival.

The prestigious sponsorship has been secured in only the third year of the event, when it is also being extended with an additional fourth fixture.

The racecourse also announced that prize money for the Carnival will now eclipse £250,000, making it a real attraction for trainers and owners looking for good opportunities in the late spring.

Andre Klein, General Manager of Warwick Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to announce Qatar Airways as headline sponsor.

“It is a massive coup to attract such a prestigious sponsor and reflects the huge strides that Warwick Racecourse has made in recent years in establishing the course as one of the best performing small jumps tracks in the country.”

The Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival gets underway on Monday, May 7, with each fixture incorporating a different theme to give people of all ages an opportunity to enjoy the races at the Jockey Club racecourse.

It is followed by fixtures on Saturday, May 12, Wednesday, May 23, and the additional race day of Wednesday, May 30, which will be the finale of Warwick Racecourse’s season.

Qatar Airways will also be sponsoring a race at each fixture, and a prize contest for the leading trainers and jockeys over the four days.

The Kids Carnival Day will open the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival on May 7 with a host of free entertainment and activities for children taking place alongside the racing, with Peter Rabbit attending as a very special guest.

Ladies Night, established as a social highlight of the year in the region, follows on May 12 with live music and entertainment, a leading Robbie Williams tribute act is confirmed to play.

Qatar Airways is also sponsoring ‘Fashions On The Field’, a new competition with two economy class return flights from Birmingham to Doha among the stellar prizes including from the Ardencote Manor Hotel, Listers Audi and Warwick Castle.

Proudly Warwick Raceday on May 23 is a feature raceday, attracting the best horses and riders, and celebrates the town and the racecourse’s involvement in the community.

It is the racing focal point of the Carnival with two big feature races on the programme - The £30,000 Wigley Group Carnival Chase and the £25,000 Feldon Dunsmore Building Legal Solutions Carnival Hurdle.

The finale of the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival is the Celebration Raceday on May 30.

The evening meeting is the last of Warwick’s 18 fixtures for 2017/18 and the last chance racegoers will get to enjoy thoroughbred racing at Warwick until next season.

Paul Fisher, Chief Executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, which stages many of Britain’s most iconic sporting events including the Randox Health Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival and The Investec Derby Festival, said: “We’re delighted to forge this new partnership with Qatar Airways at Warwick Racecourse.

“They are a major global brand that flies to more than 150 destinations from just down the road at Birmingham Airport and we welcome their support to help Warwick to go from strength-to-strength and add to the excitement around the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival.”

The announcement comes two years after Qatar Airways expanded its network in the UK by launching a service between Doha and Birmingham with daily flights.

 

For more information about the Qatar Airways May Racing Carnival and tickets go to www.warwickracecourse.co.uk or call 01926 405560.