Boodles to continue sponsorship of Cheltenham Gold Cup

Boodles are to remain as title sponsors of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2023 and 2024, the year in which steeplechasing's most prestigious contest will celebrate its centenary.

The family-owned company first supported the race in March of this year, when Rachael Blackmore partnered A Plus Tard to an historic victory by becoming the first female jockey to succeed. The pair were roared home by a record crowd of 73,875 racegoers.

Since Red Splash landed the inaugural staging of the three-and-a-quarter mile contest as a jumps race in 1924, it has been won by some of the most famous names of all-time including Golden Miller, Arkle, Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star.

In addition to its support of the Cheltenham Gold Cup Boodles also extends its sponsorship of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at The Festival, which it has put its name to since 2018, for a further two years and gains further sponsorship rights across The Jockey Club.

Boodles’ first involvement with The Festival came in 2014, when it backed the Leading Jockey Award.

The 2023 edition of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup will be run on Friday March 17 at the conclusion of the four-day Festival.

For the first time in 2022, the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup was broadcast successfully on national television in the USA via the Fox Sports network, which is available to 55 million households.

Michael Wainwright, Managing Director of Boodles, said: “After an epic build-up to this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and then a wonderful day for the race itself, capped by the charismatic Rachael Blackmore being the first female jockey to win it, the Boodles board had no hesitation in extending our association by another two years.

“The whole experience was fabulous exposure for Boodles, and for me personally it provided one of the best days of my life.”

Ian Renton, Managing Director for Cheltenham Racecourse and The Jockey Club’s West Region, said: “I am thrilled that Boodles has decided to further extend its relationship with The Festival by agreeing to sponsor the next two renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“After enjoying a record attendance this year, the 2023 running of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup takes place on St Patrick’s Day and the great race celebrates its centenary in 2024, so I am sure there are some truly memorable days ahead.

“Boodles is now approaching a decade of involvement with The Festival and hopefully has reaped the benefits of its association with the four biggest days in Jump Racing.

“Coverage of The Festival seems to start earlier and be more extensive with each passing year and it was a milestone moment this year when the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup received its first broadcast on national television in the USA.

“We look forward to continuing to work alongside the team at Boodles with their tremendous passion and commitment as well all our other partners, both old and new, in the coming times ahead.”