Betfred has revealed that it has become the new sponsor of The Oaks and The Derby at Epsom Downs.
In the latest development for British horse racing, Betfred has become the newest sponsor of The Oaks and The Derby at Epsom Downs.
Fred Done, Betfred boss, described himself as being “immensely proud” of the deal, which covers the races in the next three years.
“When you look at some of the horses and characters that have won this great race, Sea-Bird, Mill Reef, Nijinsky, Sir Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott, and Frankie Dettori, it has an amazing history and I am delighted to become a part of it for at least the next three years,” Done said.
Betfred has provided the sport with immense support over the years, with the firm being the biggest betting sponsor of British horseracing between 2011 and 2018.
The events covered in this period include The Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Group One Sprint Cup at Haydock Park, Newmarket’s “Autumn Double” – the Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch and York’s Ebor Handicap, among more than 600 other races.
Amy Starkey, Managing Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, commented: “This is an exceptional deal for British horse racing. This partnership represents a substantial investment in the world’s most famous Flat race and we are very grateful to Betfred for their generous support.
“As a bookmaker with a long and established history in horse racing and numerous other sports, I’ve worked with Fred and the team at Betfred for more than 20 years and know how deeply committed they are to British racing.
“Betting has been integral to The Derby since its inception in 1780, when even the name of the race was decided on a coin toss. The odds of the runners and especially the winners have always been a key part of the history and development of the world’s greatest Flat race.
“Our teams have a shared passion for the rich heritage and history of The Derby and The Oaks and with 1,400 shops across the UK I’m excited that Betfred will be able to help us promote these prestigious races on high streets up and down the country.”
The latest announcement of Betfred’s sponsorship of the Epsom Downs Classics precedes other future partnership opportunities around the event that are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, added: “Betfred’s support of British racing over many years has been superb and we’re proud to be working with Fred Done and his team on its next chapter, to promote these two iconic races on the first weekend in June.”
