EXCITING LINE UP FOR DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY FESTIVAL
       
 
Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Dubai Duty Free, the world's number one airport retailer, returns to Ireland for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival which will take place at the Curragh Racecourse from the 25th – 27th of June. The world famous festival promises to be one of the most spectacular sporting and fun events of the summer. Details were announced at a Summer Evening Party at The K Club, Ireland attended by celebrities, trainers, jockeys and representatives of the world of fashion and entertainment to hear the exciting details of the festival. Guests enjoyed a selection of delicious food courtesy of Good Food Ireland, who showcased a selection of delicacies which will be available to all race goers in the Good Food Ireland Village during the Festival. This year Dubai Duty Free will celebrate its third year as title sponsor of the Irish Derby Festival. The operation, which is headed up by Galway native, Colm McLoughlin, Dubai Duty Free’s Managing Director, is now the largest single duty free operation in the world and a winner of over 160 international business, travel and retail awards. Dubai Duty Free are bucking the global economic trend, the first quarter of 2010 signals the return of their consumers confidence with the retail operation announcing sales of over US$307 million, this represents a 21% increase over the same period last year. Speaking about Dubai Duty Free’s involvement at the Curragh, Dubai Duty Free’s Managing Director, Colm McLoughlin said, “We are really looking forward to an exciting weekend of racing and entertainment, this year we are sponsoring one of the world’s most famous races in addition to four other races on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby day. We are eager to strengthen tourism and business links between Ireland and Dubai and our continued sponsorship of the Irish Derby fits well with our global strategy of sports sponsorship.” Ladbrokes was announced as the first ever official betting partner to the Festival and their PR Manager Hayley O’Connor was on hand to provide the latest betting information. Ladbrokes.com Derby Friday kicks off the weekend of racing with a fun packed evening starting at 6.00pm with the featured Ballygallon Stud Stakes taking centre stage. The legendary, Irish Rock Group, The Saw Doctors will perform on a giant stage in the main enclosure after racing at 9pm. Saturday is one of the most fashionable racing days of the year with high drama on the track and high fashion in the enclosures with Europe’s leading fillies lining up in the Pretty Polly Stakes which will be sponsored by Audi for the eighth consecutive year. Sunday will feature the best of racing, fashion, food, entertainment, pageantry and spectacle culminating with the top horses and jockeys competing for €1.25m in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. English Derby hero, Workforce looks set to renew rivalry with some of his Epsom opponents including Midas Touch and Jan Vermeer who will aim to give trainer Aidan O’Brien an unprecedented five successive victory in the Group 1 Classic. There are an exciting number of ancillary events taking place at The K Club over the weekend including The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic which takes place on Friday 25th June on the world famous Palmer Ryder Cup Course. Kathryn Thomas will add her glamour to The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball on Saturday 26th June when she hosts the event in aid of the Special Olympics in The K Club on the eve of Derby Day, Saturday 26th June.