Ladbrokes the new sponsors of Irish Derby
Joe Lewins: "exciting times"
PICTURE: Imelda GrauerLADBROKES IRELAND are the new sponsors of the Irish Derby for the next three years.
Joe Lewins, managing director of Ladbrokes (Ireland) revealed the news at a reception in Shelbourne Park. He said: “The Irish greyhound Derby is regarded as a prestigious sporting event both at home and afar, and our association heralds the start of exciting times for Ladbrokes and the broader greyhound industry.
“It is an event that captures the hearts and minds of the Irish sporting public and we intend to deliver that sense of sporting excellence to a wider global audience than has ever been the case up until now.
“The Irish greyhound Derby is an addition to an already expansive Irish sports sponsorship portfolio and we will be working closely with the management at Shelbourne Park and the Irish Greyhound Board to further raise the profile and importance of this great event.”
Paddy Power Bookmakers had sponsored the Classic for ten years but announced their intention to step aside following College Causeway's incredible victory in last year’s final.
The Ladbrokes involvement had been generally predicted and is a natural step for a company that has backed the prestigious Ladbrokes 600 at Shelbourne for the past few years. However, prize-money details have yet to be finalised.
The company in the past has also sponsored the Irish Oaks, the Anglo-Irish International and a number of other events at the headquarters of Irish greyhound racing.
Ladbrokes is Ireland’s largest bookmaker, operating from over 270 shops nationwide and will, for the first time, show all heats of the Ladbrokes Irish Derby via live feeds to all of their UK shops. This coverage will be exclusive to Ladbrokes until the semi-final stage.
The Ladbrokes Irish Derby will commence on August 4 at Shelbourne Park, with the final staged on Saturday, September 11.
