Dubai Duty Free Extends Irish Derby Sponsorship

Dubai Duty Free has renewed it’s sponsorship of the Irish Derby festival at The Curragh Racecourse for a further three years until 2015 with an option for a further two years. 

Dubai Duty Free first commenced its sponsorship of the flagship race in 2008 and since then has helped to grow and develop the three-day festival into what is now one of Europe’s leading social and sporting occasions. Apart from the Irish Derby, Dubai Duty Free will also support five other races on Derby day. 

The company has been keen for race goers to ‘embrace more than the race’ and the three-day festival now includes The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic (K Club, 28 June), The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball (K Club, 29 June) and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby itself which this year will run on a Saturday (30 June). 

The company will also support The Good Food Ireland Village, an initiative which was introduced in 2010 where the best of Irish food complements the best of Irish racing. This village features a variety of Irish food producers and well-known chefs from some of the country’s best hotels and restaurants. 

Fashion is also a big part of the weekend and the company will again support the Most Stylish Lady Competition on Derby day with a prize of a trip of to Dubai Duty Free’s own five-star Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. The prize also includes flights and €1,000 to spend in Dubai Duty Free and a €5,000 voucher from luxury jeweller Boodles. 

Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin said: “The promotion of sport has long been part of Dubai Duty Free’s marketing strategy of raising the profile of our brand and of Dubai itself. 

“We are pleased with the level of exposure that we continue to generate in both the print and broadcast media for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. We are delighted to extend our sponsorship for a further three years, with an option for an additional two, and look forward to working with The Curragh to grow this event even further.”

Dubai Duty Free President George Horan added: “Since 2008 our sponsorship of the Irish Derby Festival has been extremely positive for us. The Irish Derby is one of the most important racing festivals in the world and we are pleased to be a part of that. 

“The events that have grown up alongside the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival involve the wider community to a great extent and we are looking forward to this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and to the years to come.” 

Dubai Duty Free first opened for business in 1983 and over the past 28 years has grown to become one of the world’s largest airport retailers with a turnover of Dhs5.311 billion (US$1.46 billion) in 2011.