Grosvenor Sport Announce Meeting Sponsorship at Newbury
Grosvenor Sport will sponsor a meeting for the first time when backing two race days at Newbury in 2025.
Everyone is a winner with new Newbury deal – including local apartment owners who have an excellent view of the action! © Getty Images
Key Facts:
- Grosvenor Sport moves into meeting sponsorship with two race days at Newbury in January.
- Progressive racecourse has seen increased attendance at its significant meetings in 2024.
- Rank-owned Grosvenor Sport has an ambition to develop a strong portfolio of events in 2025.
- Racecourse is about to complete its first year in partnership with Sky Sports Racing.
Grosvenor Sport, launched in 2015 as part of the broader Grosvenor Casino brand, will celebrate its first decade in business by sponsoring two afternoon National Hunt fixtures at Newbury Racecourse during the start of 2025.
The two meetings will take place on January 9th and 15th, and Grosvenor Sport will sponsor ten races over the two days. The partnership with Newbury Racecourse marks a first-time meeting sponsorship for Grosvenor Sport at a British racecourse.
Strength in Numbers at Newbury
On November 30th, Newbury reported that 12,063 racegoers had attended that day’s Coral Gold Cup meeting. The number represented a 12 percent increase on 2023’s attendance. Racegoers were tret to a thriller when the Paul Nicholls-trained Kandoo Kid landed the feature race, the Coral Gold Cup.
Unlike that race day, the January 9th and 15th meetings will not carry Premier Race Day status. However, Newbury Racecourse did offer ‘early bird’ tickets for the January 9th meeting priced at just £10. The concession could contribute to a healthy attendance.
Grosvenor Sport may be making its debut as a meeting sponsor, but the betting site, a branch of Grosvenor online casino, is already involved in horseracing. It sponsors the yards operated by Dorset-based National Hunt trainer Harry Fry and Newmarket-based Flat trainer Harry Eustace.
Grosvenor Sport Is From the Top Rank
Announcing the new sponsorship, Grosvenor Sport’s Sportsbook Director, Simon Kew, said: “We’re excited to team up with Newbury Racecourse for two fantastic race days sponsoring a total of ten races. This marks our first venture into race sponsorships and highlights our ambition to develop a strong portfolio of events as we move into 2025.”
Grosvenor Sport is owned by Rank Group, a British company which dates back to 1937. It floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and currently owns and operates 52 Mecca Bingo venues. The Grosvenor Victoria, London’s liveliest poker room, is another Rank asset alongside an additional 50 UK land-based casinos.
In August, Rank announced that its digital cross-channel customer revenues were growing faster than overall group revenues – up 16 percent during the year. Rank attributed its financial gains to its single content management system and an improved app for the Grosvenor brand.
A Great Deal to Be Excited About at Newbury
Earlier this year, Newbury Racecourse – which lists Lady Lloyd-Webber as a board member and a significant shareholder – declared its signature flat meeting, the Al Shaqab Lockinge with Ladies Day, enjoyed a 14 percent increase in year-on-year attendance.
As part of an agreement signed in 2021, all of Newbury’s meetings during 2024 have been broadcast on Sky Sports Racing. The track is due to race again on December 18th and December 28th. The course had previously been part of Racing TV’s roster but will remain with Sky for at least five years.
Like Newbury, Grosvenor Sport has recently developed a close relationship with Sky Sports Racing. The online bookmaker is now a betting partner with the broadcaster – meaning its prices are quoted ahead of daily racing. Furthermore, Kitty Waddell, Grosvenor Sports PR representative, regularly appears on the channel.
