AL Boum Photo is a recent winner of the Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday and the two-and-a-half-mile contest has a new sponsor this year in The Underwriting Exchange.

The insurance provider is headed by chairman Stephen O’Connor from Kilternan, Co Dublin, whose family has a long association with racing and Fairyhouse.

Stephen told The Irish Field: “My late father, Philip, was a committee member at Fairyhouse and I have owned a few horses myself, including Bless The Wings, who twice finished second in the Irish Grand National and also finished third at Aintree.”

The Underwriting Exchange has been a notable sponsor of racing in recent years and also has a commercial link with the Irish show jumping team. Stephen says the sponsorships have helped raise brand awareness and has led to plenty of new equine business.

“We’re a specialist product provider to the Irish market. Brokers come to us on behalf of clients who are looking for bespoke cover for a particular part of their enterprise. For example, the client might get their life insurance or property insurance with one firm, but come to us for accident cover.”

Easter runner

For obvious reasons, Stephen and his colleagues won’t get an opportunity to meet any new or existing clients at Fairyhouse next weekend, though Stephen has even more reason to regret not being allowed through the gates. He owns Dunboyne, a recent maiden hurdle winner at Thurles and being aimed at the Irish EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Final at Fairyhouse on Easter Saturday.