Dubai Duty Free Continue Longstanding Sponsorship At Newbury Racecourse In 2025

A longstanding supporter of Newbury Racecourse, Dubai Duty Free extend their sponsorship throughout 2025 marking their 30th year of continued sponsorship. This will see Dubai Duty Free continue to have the naming rights of the Dubai Duty Free Grandstand as well as naming rights to two key meetings in the flat season calendar: The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend and The Dubai Duty Free International Weekend. Dubai Duty Free, one of the world’s leading airport retailers, promotes Dubai throughout numerous onsite activations at their sponsored meetings and host up to the 120 guests over the two days.

The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend is due to take place on April 11-12. The two-day fixture is one of the leading early season targets for trainers testing their classic credentials in established trials for both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas which take place three weeks after the meeting. The Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Registered as The Fred Darling Stakes) is a Group 3 contest for three-year old fillies run over the straight seven furlongs. Won last year by the Marco Botti trained Folgaria, the contest is often used as a trial for the 1,000 Guineas. The meeting also features The Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (Registered as The John Porter Stakes), a Group 3 contest run over 1m4f won last year by the William Haggas trained Hamish.

The Dubai Duty Free International Weekend takes place towards the end of Newbury’s flat season on September 19-20. Two notable races on the card include The Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes, a Listed contest on the first day of the two-day fixture. First run in 1997, the race is open to horses aged three years or older and is run over 7f with the Tom Clover trained Witness Stand taking the spoils under Kieran Shoemark in the 2024 renewal. The feature race on the second day is the Group 2, Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes. Open to two-year-olds only, the 6f contest is worth a total prize fund of £100,000. In testing conditions last year, Richard Fahey’s Powerful Glory toughed it out to claim the last Group 2 of the flat season at Newbury.

Shaun Hinds, CEO at Newbury said: “It is fantastic to be working with Dubai Duty Free for the thirtieth consecutive year here at Newbury Racecourse. Dubai Duty Free have been huge supporters over the years and we would like to thank them for their continued support. We’re looking forward to the start of the flat season and the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend is the perfect way to kick things off”.