Dornan Engineering new sponsor of Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle

Leopardstown Racecourse on Wednesday announced a three-year partnership with leading Engineering Firm Dornan Engineering Limited, who will sponsor one of feature races of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

The Grade One, three-mile Hurdle, which will take place on Tuesday 28th December as part of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival will from today be known as The Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle.

A relatively new race to the traditional four-day Christmas Festival, originating in 1996; the Grade 1 Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle has attracted popular horses such as Limestone Lad, Bannow Boy, Vroum Vroum Mag and most recently three-time winner, Apples Jade, who have their names on the winners role of honour in this feature staying hurdle.

The 2020 renewal was won by the Gavin Cromwell trained Flooring Porter. The Yeats gelding having progressed throughout his winter campaign from Handicap company to Grade 1 level. Despite being his first attempt at Graded level Flooring Porter won the Gr1 Christmas Hurdle convincingly from fellow Grade 1 winner The Storyteller and dual Pertemps Final winner Sire Du Berlais in third.

Flooring Porter then went on to Cheltenham where again his front running tactics proved too strong for the competition as he defeated formers Stayers Hurdle winner Paisley Park and old rival Sire Du Belrias by 3½ lengths, also providing jockey Danny Mullins with his first winner at The Festival. Flooring Porter ended his season as the Timeform rated leading staying hurdler, interestingly rated only 1lb below star mare Honeysuckle.

Tim Husbands MBE, CEO at Leopardstown Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dornan Engineering as a partner at Leopardstown, it is through the support of our sponsors that the Leopardstown Christmas Festival continues to be such a prominent feature of the National Hunt Season. The Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle has always proved to be a race of the highest quality and we are very grateful for Dornan Engineering’s generous support, and we look forward to making this a very successful partnership.”

Robert Acheson of Dornan Engineering, added: “Dornan is proud to sponsor this year’s renewal of the Christmas Hurdle in Leopardstown on the 28th of December. The race always provides key indicators towards the spring festivals, with last years winner, Flooring Porter, going on to win the Stayers Hurdle in Cheltenham. We are very much looking forward to a fantastic race and would like to thank Leopardstown for providing us with the opportunity to be involved with such a historic festival.”

The Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown is on Day 3 of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival which as always, takes place from the 26th – 29th of December 2021. The Christmas Festival features Seven Grade One races across the four days with leading horses, jockeys and trainers from the UK and Ireland competing in National Hunt racing at its finest.