A FULL house. That’s the hugely encouraging news emerging from Leopardstown Racecourse this week, as the countdown to next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival begins in earnest.
Every race over the two days is sponsored, and the last piece of the jigsaw sees a new, but familiar name, appended to the Arkle Chase.
On Thursday Leopardstown announced that Dublin-based solicitors Patrick Ward & Company is the new sponsor of the Grade 1 Irish Arkle Novice Chase on Saturday, February 6th. For many years, the Ward name has been synonymous with one of the highlights of the weekend.
Indeed, Patrick Ward & Company Solicitors has a long association with both Leopardstown and the Irish Arkle, the Ward family name having become associated with the race for the first time in 2010 when victory went to the Henry de Bromhead-trained An Cathaoir Mor.
During the decade long partnership with Frank Ward Solicitors the race produced magnificent winners such as Flemenstar, Un De Sceaux and Douvan.
One of the feature events on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival, the Patrick Ward & Company Solicitors Irish Arkle Novice Chase was first run as a Grade 1 event in 2002, and two years later the subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King was successful for trainer Tom Taaffe and rider Barry Geraghty.
This new but familiar partnership is welcomed by Patrick Ward, principal of the firm of solicitors of the same name, who commented: “My family and I are delighted to continue the long association that we have had with the Irish Arkle Novice Chase. We have very fond memories of many great racing days over all the years in which the late Frank sponsored the race.
“The racing was always followed by great fun and a sing song till we wore our welcome out!
“While this year will, of course, be different, Leopardstown Racecourse has organised a fantastic feast of racing over the weekend and I hope it brings the country some much needed excitement and entertainment.
“Thank you to Leopardstown Racecourse, the staff in Patrick Ward & Co., and to all our friends and clients. We are delighted to once again have the Ward family name on the prestigious Irish Arkle at Leopardstown.”
Welcome news
Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown, welcomed the news this week. He said: “The association of the Ward family with the Irish Arkle go hand in hand; we are delighted that Patrick is to continue this partnership.
“Many will remember the late Frank Ward, Patrick’s father, who was both a great supporter of Irish racing and a good friend to Leopardstown. He owned many horses over the years and served on the board of Leopardstown and the Tote.
“The Patrick Ward & Company Irish Arkle Novice Chase has attracted a superb entry, from all the leading yards and we expect another thrilling renewal of the race.”
Frank Ward died in October 2019. From Foxrock, he had horses with many different trainers over the years, among the best of them being Dudley Do Right who was trained by Tom Taaffe.
At the time of his death the then Leopardstown CEO Pat Keogh said: “Frank never missed a big day here and I used to meet him regularly and have good discussions about Leopardstown.
“He knew our community really well, so he was always a great man to bounce ideas off. You always came away the wiser from a meeting with Frank and with a smile on your face. We have lost a great friend.”