The 15th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival is set to take place at The Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare from June 24 to 26, with some of Europe’s top trainers, jockeys and horses battling for glory on the famous track.
Last year’s winner was the Godolphin-owned Hurricane Lane, which was trained by Charlie Appleby and raced by the capable jockey William Buick.
With a limited crowd last year due to the pandemic, the upcoming weekend sees the return of fans keen to witness the live action. The derby is one of the premier races in the global calendar, with prize money of $1.05 million, making it Ireland’s richest race.
This year will also be the first time Dubai Duty Free will host guests in the magnificent new Curragh grandstand, the Aga Khan Stand. Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said: “This year marks our 15th as title sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby although we have been working with the Curragh racecourse, supporting them, and sponsoring other races for 21 years now. We are glad to be back here in person once more with a full capacity crowd.”
McLoughlin added: “Over the term of our sponsorship, we have worked closely with The Curragh team and endeavored to grow this event into a festival with activities taking place both on and off the track. An example of this is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic which will take place at The K Club on Thursday, June 23. We also sponsor the Ladies Fashion element of the race day with a great prize of a trip to Dubai.”
He went on to commend the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board, Horse Racing Ireland and The Curragh Racecourse and its team for keeping racing going during a difficult couple of years, and for safely overseeing the return of spectators to the track.
The festival has grown significantly since the airport retailer took on the role of title sponsor in 2008. The company is also sponsoring five other races on Derby Day and has six of the eight races on the card on Saturday, June 25. It is expected that Ireland’s flagship race will be viewed by fans from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, South Africa, US, several countries in Europe, Mongolia, and the UAE.