CORK Racecourse is delighted to announce Bar One Racing as the new sponsors of the €100,000 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase on Sunday week, December 11th.

The Grade 2 highlight at Cork Racecourse has been decorated with household names, going all the way back to dual winner Beef Or Salmon in 2002 and 2003 for Co Limerick trainer Michael Hourigan.

More recent winners to have cemented the Hilly Way Chase’s reputation as a race of champions include Willie Mullins’s multiple Grade 1 victors Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Chacun Pour Soi and last year’s hero Energumene.

Indeed, Energumene kicked off his Champion Chase-winning campaign in this contest 12 months ago and may well be one of the stars on show in the 2022 renewal, which will be televised live on RTÉ.

Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the race with 13 triumphs, having gotten off the mark with Our Ben in 2007, while his stable jockey Paul Townend is the most successful rider with six victories, the first arriving on Golden Silver in 2009.

Golden Silver certainly loved it around Mallow and is the only horse to prevail three times in this two-miler, notching a three-in-a-row from 2009 to 2011.

Mutually beneficial

Bar One Racing is a well established supporter and sponsor of Irish racing and adding the €100,000 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase to its collection is a mutually beneficial partnership.

Speaking about his latest major sponsorship announcement, Barney O’Hare, CEO of Bar One Racing, said: “We’re delighted to add the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase to our portfolio. This meeting will be the third consecutive weekend of high-profile sponsorships for Bar One Racing. The Hilly Way is the best two-mile open chase run before Christmas in Ireland, and very often the race attracts a big name.

“Energumene could seek back-to-back wins in the race and his participation would drive interest in it. The people of Cork love their National Hunt racing and it’s great to be involved in their feature meeting of the year.”

Welcoming Bar One Racing as title sponsors on Cork’s major card, Andrew Hogan, General Manager of Cork Racecourse, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Bar One Racing as sponsors of the prestigious €100,000 Hilly Way Chase. The support of Barney O’Hare and his team means a lot to us here at Cork Racecourse Mallow.

“Thanks also must go to The O’Flynn Group, Singletons Supervalu and Finbarr Quaid Electrical for their support of the final fixture here in Cork in 2022. We are really looking forward to an excellent day of racing.”

Supporting card

The Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase may be the feature event but the programme is a top-class one as it also includes the Grade 2 O’Flynn Group Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase and the Grade 3 Singletons Supervalu Stayers’ Novice Hurdle.

Cork Racecourse’s 2022 season will finish with a flourish on and off the track as there will be live music after racing by Handipak, with free shuttle busses from Mallow town and Mallow train station.

Admission to the top-class racing and music is just €20 with discounts available online.

Web: corkracecourse.ie