bet365 agree to sponsor fourth Cat One comp at Oxford in 2026
OXFORD's gain will be Towcester's loss in 2026 following confirmation that bet365 has recommitted to sponsoring the same three Category One competitions there as this year.
Additionally, it has also agreed to back the Oxfordshire Sprint for the first time having ended support for the Empress Stakes at the former sister venue Towcester.
bet365 backed Oxford's Hunt Cup and Challenge Cup, both over 650m, once again this year, while the on-going English Puppy Oaks transferred to the Cowley circuit's 450m course from Towcester when promoter Kevin Boothby left the Northamptonshire circuit in November.
Sponsorship for all three has been renewed, but bet365 spokesman Pat Cooney revealed that backing of the 253m Oxfordshire Sprint had now also been agreed.
Cooney spoke to Jonathan Kay about the new sponsorship but began with a look back to Vhagar's last-gasp success in the bet365 Challenge Cup.
Explaining the background, Cooney said: "bet365 has always had a strong allegiance to SIS . . . from the days when they had shops as well so there's always been that affection for them, we get on very well with them of course and Oxford has gone really well.
"Unfortunately it means we won't be sponsoring the Empress at Towcester but we were looking around for other events to sponsor and it was suggested to us, what about a sprint?
"We're happy to sponsor the bet365 Oxfordshire Sprint which will coincide with the early stages of the Greyhound Derby so you could run in our competition and still be able to go for whatever Towcester have for their [Derby] sprint competition.
"It's new territory for us sponsoring a sprint, but this is probably going to be the fastest 36 sprinters in the country."
