Entain-owned operator Ladbrokes is to return as the sponsor of the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot Racecourse on 21 December.
The race weekend will feature the £125,000 Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle, which makes it one of the most valuable handicap hurdles in the racing calendar.
Ladbrokes had previously sponsored the weekend from its inaugural running in 2001 to 2015.
Ladbrokes ambassador and leading trainer Dan Skelton won the race twice with Willow’s Saviour in 2013 and Mohaayed in 2018.
“This race is always one of the highlights of the Festive period and on our radar from a long way out. It’s a very valuable race and could be an important contest in our bid to claim the Trainers’ Championship this season,” said Skelton.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to win it twice before and hopefully, we can be lucky again. It looks the ideal spot for Be Aware after his run in the Greatwood and he should have plenty of improvement to come.”
Alex Apati, head of PR at Ladbrokes, commented: “We are delighted to be staging the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Ascot’s Christmas meeting once again, after nine years away.
“Ladbrokes has an incredible heritage in horse racing, so it’s fantastic to be back partnering with one of the greatest racecourses in the world.”
Felicity Barnard, deputy chief executive and commercial director at Ascot Racecourse, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Ladbrokes back as a sponsor at Ascot and especially pleased that they will once again be associated with this contest, the final race of the year at Ascot and one of the highlights of the festive period.”
Shares in Entain plc (LSE:ENT) were trading 1.33 per cent lower at 801.20 pence per share in London Tuesday morning.