Sky Bet to Sponsor The Road To Cheltenham

Sky Bet, who are sponsoring the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle on the first day of The Festival for the first time, are backing an additional race on “The Road To Cheltenham”, the Grade Two Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle over two miles at Kempton Park on Saturday, February 22.

This will be the third Grade Two contest the Leeds firm are supporting on “The Road To Cheltenham” and follows on from the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Trial Hurdle (won by The Liquidator) at Cheltenham in November and the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Trial Hurdle (Zamdy Man) at Haydock Park earlier this month.

Michael Shinners, Sky Bet Racing PR Manager, commented: “Sky Bet are delighted to be sponsoring the Dovecote from Kempton, which is the final recognised trial before the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“At this stage, the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle looks a wide open renewal, but there is still time for a significant performance to impact the market and hopefully this will come at Kempton on February 22.”

Carey Buckler, Regional Sponsorship Manager, Cheltenham, said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to secure the Dovecote at Kempton for Sky Bet, to extend their “Road To Cheltenham” sponsorship around the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“The Dovecote is very much a key trial for horses targeting the opening race of The Festival and I’m sure we will see a strong line-up next month.”

Phil White, General Manager at Kempton Park Racecourse, added: “We are very pleased that Sky Bet are sponsoring the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle on Saturday, February 22.

“The Grade Two race makes up part of the card for the Kempton Park Chase Day, one of our feature meetings of the year at Kempton Park, adding to the high-quality racing on offer that day.

“The Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle has had winners who have gone on to show themselves as very progressive horses, with the most notable one recently being the Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy, successful in 2011, who is now challenging for top honours as a two-mile chaser.”