Turners of Soham to sponsor major race at Cheltenham Festival
Turners of Soham managing director Paul Day is to sponsor a race at Cheltenham Festival - Credit: Archant/Cheltenham Festival
Haulage boss Paul Day with a lifelong passion for horseracing is to sponsor a race at Cheltenham Festival next year.
Turners of Soham, was announced today as the new sponsor of the 2m 4f novices’ chase at The Festival (registered as the Golden Miller Novices’ Chase).
The Turners Novices’ Chase takes place on day three of The Festival at Cheltenham on March 17.
Mr Day said: “Outside my family, I have two great passions in my life - my business, Turners, and sports with a lifelong love of horseracing.
“I attend the Cheltenham Festival for all four days every year.
“I think it was when Istabraq won his first Champion Hurdle (1998) that I first started attending every day of The Festival, although I had made some visits before that.”
He said: “I love all sports and have travelled all over the world to attend major events including the Breeders’ Cup, but for me the Cheltenham Festival is the real standout – there is nothing else like it.”
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Mr Day said Turners – which operates in excess of 2,300 vehicles -has reached a point where they have the scale and credibility to sponsor a race.
“It is a huge honour to have the 2m 4f novices’ chase given our company name,” he said.
“Personally, I am delighted by our company’s association with Cheltenham and I know our staff will get great pleasure and fun from our involvement.
“We look forward to a long-term partnership with the race and Cheltenham Racecourse.”
The Turners Novices’ Chase was introduced to The Festival as a Grade Two event in 2011 and was upgraded to Grade One status in 2014.
Ian Renton, The Jockey Club’s managing director for Cheltenham and the West Region, said: “We are delighted to welcome Turners as a new sponsor to The Festival.
“It is particularly fulfilling for us when a sponsor has such a tremendous passion for the sport, as Paul Day does, and we look forward to what will hopefully be a long and successful partnership.”
Mr Day is the grandson of Turners co-founder Wallace Turner.
He was England’s table tennis champion in 1978 and has also represented Great Britain at croquet.
