William Hill Agrees Sponsorship of Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting

William Hill will be the first headline sponsor of the Showcase meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse this week, which is widely considered to be the curtain raiser for the National Hunt season.

The meeting takes place this Friday and Saturday, and will cover five races, including the Handicap Chase on Saturday. This follows William Hill’s sponsorship of the Showcase Saturday at Cheltenham in 2024.

William Hill is also sponsoring the Group One Futurity Stakes at Doncaster on the final day of the flat season on Saturday, as well as the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on Sunday.

The National Hunt season is another term for the jump racing season. While jump racing occurs all year round, it is predominantly held in the autumn, winter and spring. Flat racing is predominantly held for the rest of the year.

What both parties said

Mark Howarth, William Hill’s Director of Racing, said: “We’re thrilled to be headline sponsors of the William Hill Showcase meeting this year. This meeting really is where the jumps season kicks off, and we can’t wait to be at the home of National Hunt racing to see the beginning of another enthralling campaign.

“Alongside Cheltenham, we’re also pleased to announce our sponsorship of the William Hill Old Roan Chase on Sunday at Aintree. This race has been a fantastic starting point for the seasons of some modern greats, and we’re excited to further strengthen our relationship with the Jockey Club with this partnership.

“With sponsorships at Cheltenham, Aintree, and of course Doncaster’s Group One Futurity Stakes, we are delighted to continue supporting British racing and cannot wait for the weekend to start early on Friday at Prestbury Park and Town Moor.”

Daniel Glavin, Betting Partnerships Manager at the Jockey Club, which owns Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “We’re thrilled to be strengthening our longstanding partnership with William Hill as they become the first-ever title sponsor of Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting.

“Their continued support across both codes of British racing is clear, and adding this weekend's Cheltenham fixture and Old Roan Chase to their existing sponsorship of Aintree's Boxing Day meeting and the William Hill County Hurdle at The Festival highlights their commitment in a big way.”

Deal comes amid tax increase worries

The sponsorship of the Showcase meeting at Cheltenham comes at a time of uncertainty for both bookmakers and the horseracing industry. Earlier this month, a spokesperson for Evoke, owner of William Hill, was quoted by The Sunday Times as saying William Hill is considering closing between 120 and 200 of its approximately 1,300 betting shops ahead of an expected tax increase.

Several other operators have recently either announced or hinted at shop closures, including Flutter Entertainment, Entain and Betfred.

On November 26, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce a new Remote Betting and Gaming Duty in the Autumn Budget, replacing the current system of three separate remote betting taxes. Estimates from industry experts indicate the new tax rate could be around 21% to 25% of gross profit, but more than 100 Labour MPs have called for the rate to be set at 50%.

In September, the British Horseracing Authority called off all race meetings in protest against the potential tax, which it claims will cost British racing £66m per year. Sponsorship deals such as William Hill’s for the Showcase is an area where operators could reduce investment as a result of the tax.