Al Shaqab Racing is delighted to announce that it will be sponsoring Lockinge Stakes Day at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday, 16 May, 2015. This five year sponsorship deal will increase the total prize money available on the day by 125%, with the feature race of the day, the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, increasing in value from £214,000 in 2014 to £350,000 next year, a 64% increase.

There will be seven races on the card including the Al Shaqab Fillies Trial Stakes and the Al Shaqab Carnarvon Stakes, both previously run on the day before the Lockinge Stakes, plus the Al Shaqab London Gold Cup, all three of which will be worth £70,000 in 2015. In addition, the prize fund for the Listed Al Shaqab Stakes, previously known as the Aston Park Stakes, will increase to £100,000. Two new races will also be added to the card; the Al Shaqab Conditions Stakes for two year olds run over 6 furlongs and worth £50,000 and the Al Shaqab Handicap, over a mile, worth £40,000.

Harry Herbert, Racing Advisor to Al Shaqab Racing, commented: “Al Shaqab Racing is delighted to be sponsoring such a prestigious raceday which includes a race very close to our hearts, the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes. It is very appropriate as we won the race last year with Olympic Glory and in doing so kick-started the Jack Berry House fundraising campaign which has raised a staggering £500,000 for this fantastic cause.”

Julian Thick, CEO of Newbury Racecourse, added: “The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes is a hugely important race in the European calendar and we are delighted that, with the backing of Al Shaqab, we can elevate the race and the whole of Al Shaqab Lockinge Day to new heights. Our thanks go to Al Shaqab for supporting our ambition and also to our existing sponsors who have kindly agreed to step aside and make this new deal possible, namely JLT, Betfred, Bathwick Tyres and Swettenham Stud. We are hugely excited about the possibilities for this fixture in 2015 and beyond.”

Al Shaqab Racing started in 2011 with Arabian racing and achieved multiple Group 1 wins including the Khalia Classic two years in a row. It has now evolved into one of the modern superpowers of thoroughbred racing, winning major Group 1 titles such as The Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, The Lockinge Stakes and the Qatar Airways Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp twice with superstar filly, Treve.

Al Shaqab Lockinge Day Race Programme – Saturday 16 May 2015

Race 1:  Al Shaqab Conditions Stakes (Class 2) 6f 2yo £50,000 [new race]
Race 2:  Al Shaqab Stakes (Listed) 13f 4yo+ £100,000 [37,000 in 2014]
Race 3 : Al Shaqab Carnarvon Stakes (Listed) 6f 3yo £70,000 [37,000 in 2014]
Race 4: Al Shaqab London Gold Cup (Class 2) Open Heritage Handicap 10f  3yo £70,000 [25,000 in 2014]
Race 5: Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (Group 1) 8f 4yo+ £350,000 [214,000 in 2014]
Race 6: Al Shaqab Fillies Trial Stakes (Listed) 10f 3yo £70,000 [37,000 in 2014]
Race 7: Al Shaqab Handicap Stakes (Class 2) 8f 4yo+ £40,000 [new race]