William Hill is expanding its promotional portfolio to include its first ever sponsorship of the Boxing Day races at the Aintree racecourse. The UK-focused operator sponsored this year’s races at the fabled track near Liverpool in an event that featured seven races, including the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle (formerly the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle).
Though not celebrated much outside of England the former Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is a significant holiday that involves plenty of shopping and other leisure activities, including a day at the races. William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps explained the lure of Boxing Day in comments reported on by Racingpost.com saying, “While many are winding down for Christmas the racing world is revving up. Boxing Day is always massive in the racing calendar and this year is even bigger with Aintree hosting its first ever December 26 meeting.”
Phelps further explained that, “Our place as the official betting partner of the Grand National Festival in April is a very important one and we’re delighted to be further expanding our relationship with Aintree. Boxing Day races tend to draw big crowds, which is one draw of being involved as a sponsor, while the Grade 1 Formby is sure to play a starring role in the wider Christmas coverage of the sport.”
The move into Boxing Day events strengthens William Hill’s already formidable lineup of horse racing events, which includes 27 races across the holiday weekend. William Hill is also the sponsor of the UK’s premier horse racing event, the Grand National Festival, a three-day event that’s held each April.