Qatar Confirms Five-Year Extension With Goodwood

Qatar Confirms Five-Year Extension With Goodwood

Goodwood's primary sponsors Qatar Racing have put an end to any speculation regarding their future, by extending their contract with the racecourse until 2024.

As a result of the new five-year multi-million-pound deal, the Sussex venue will now be pressing for upgrades to it's feature races - particularly at their coveted Glorious meeting in late July and early August.

The new contract has consolidated the partnership between the two parties, after there was uncertainty surrounding the release clause in the original script, which was revealed by Al Shaqab's Sheikh Joaan Al Thani.

Goodwood and the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club had originally come together to create the biggest sponsorship deal in British racing history in 2014.

The fresh agreement should see an enhancement to prize money in selected feature races - most notably the £1 million Group One Qatar Sussex Stakes, along with the possibility of promoting other contests and the profile of the week as a whole.

(Credit: Racing Post) Goodwood's managing director Adam Waterworth, said on Wednesday: "The first four years have been good for both of us. From Goodwood's point of view, the obvious upside has been the prize-money boosts that have really pushed the meeting forward.

"We're actually in a better position than we thought we would be at this stage. There won't be any changes to the meeting this year but we're hoping from 2020 there could be some tweaks.

"We'll be pushing for upgrades in races and if that can happen then there are increased prize-money that comes with those.

"I think we've shown with the Goodwood Cup what can be achieved by upgrading races and prize-money with it." 

The Duke of Richmond - Goodwood's owner, completed the contract extension at a meeting on Tuesday, with both sides of the partnership agreeing to the raise of international recognition of the fixture.

QREC chairman - Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi said: "The outcome of this sponsorship has benefited Qatar and Qatar's equestrian sport in particular because it promoted the name of Qatar in such international gatherings.

"It has also helped foster our relations and cooperation with horse organisations in the United Kingdom."

Qatari sponsorship of racing in Britain and Europe has increasingly grown as the years have gone by.

Qatar also sponsor the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, whilst Al Shaqab backs the Lockinge Stakes fixture at Newbury, as well as a number of contests on the Sussex Downs.

Sheikh Fahad along with his brothers sponsor the British Champions Series, headlined by Champions Day and a number of other races through their investment with QIPCO such as the Guineas.