The Tote and Galway Races are delighted to announce the signing of a new three-year sponsorship agreement confirming The Tote as the title sponsor of one of Ireland’s most historic races, the TheTote.com Galway Plate.
The news follows the decision confirmed in February to move the fixture on Wednesday August 1 to an evening slot, with the first race off at 5.10 and the big race due to go to post at 7.20, and is designed to boost local attendance from the greater Galway region.
The Tote first sponsored the race in 2010 and this renewal will take the company’s association with the Galway Plate into its eleventh year in 2020. With a first prize of almost €150,000, TheTote.com Galway Plate has always attracted high quality horses and President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins is once again expected to present the Plate to winning connections.
Worth €250,000 in total prize-money, the race has produced some high class recent winners including Carlingford Lough, Road To Riches and the 2017 winner Balko Des Flos.
Last year Balko Des Flos was given a masterful ride by jockey Davy Russell to hand Michael O’Leary and Gigginstown Stud a third win in the race in four years, and the Henry De Bromhead-trained seven-year-old went on to win the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month.
The Galway Races is Ireland’s largest racing festival and attracted 145,000 spectators across seven days of racing last year. Run on the third day of the Festival, the Galway Plate is long established as one of the best-known races in the country and plans are already in place to mark the historic 150th running of the race next year.
Speaking at the announcement of The Tote’s sponsorship renewal of the Galway Plate, Tim Higgins, CEO of The Tote, said: “We are delighted to continue this mutually beneficial partnership with the Galway Races team. TheTote.com Galway Plate is a real high point of the year for all of our team and the week itself is eagerly anticipated every summer. The continued high quality of horse entering and winning the race is great to see and we look forward to seeing what the 2018 winner goes on to achieve.”
Michael Moloney, General Manager of Galway Racecourse, said: “As an integral part of Irish racing, The Tote are a natural partner for us to work with and we are delighted to continue this agreement. The Galway Plate is one of the longest running races ran anywhere in Ireland and we recognise the significance of having TheTote.com as title sponsor given their near 90 year association with Irish racing. We are looking forward to the evening meeting and have received lots of positive feedback on the move from local businesses and racegoers and expect it to lead to a greater atmosphere on the Wednesday of our race week. We have planned lots of new things for this year’s Festival including the opening of our new building as well as additions to our entertainment line-up.”
The Tote and Galway Races announce the signing of a new three-year sponsorship agreement of the TheTote.com Galway Plate, with Tim Higgins, CEO, The Tote, Joe Hennessy, Sales and Marketing Manager, The Tote and Michael Moloney, General Manager, Galway Racecourse
