Ryanair Day ?

[Istabraq]

Last Thursday anyone who attended Cheltenham will have heard constant reference to the Ryanair being the feature race of the day, this came as a shock because the festival set up is to have one championship race each day, and of course Thursday is the Stayers Hurdle.

If you'd gone to the parade ring/winners enclosure you would also have seen nothing but Ryanair flags/banners.

I wasn't aware that Paddy Power has secured sponsorship of the Stayers Hurdle but I'm told this was announced on Trials Day so it's not as if the sponsorship was confirmed late in the day and before any badging could be created, so it begs the question are Cheltenham promoting the non championship Ryanair Chase above the championship Stayers Hurdle which as been run, in one form or another, for over 100 years.

Any knowledge views out there ?

[robith]

Last two/three years they've deffo being trying to push the Ryanair as the championship race

[FaugheenTheMachine]

Yes, yes they are. Was same last year (at least)

[Istabraq]

In 2019 the Stayers was sponsored by Sun Racing, and the winners enclosure was badged with 'Sun Racing' banners/flags.
I don't remember any PA announcements at the time but it struck me this year the Ryanair was announced as the days feature race.

I'm struggling to understand how a championship race cannot be given feature status, the very title confirms this is the premium race, and I'm also struggling to understand why Paddy Power would commit to the races sponsorship when the only advertising on course is Ryanair and Magners...

[Stormy Antarctic]

They’ll be trying to get the Ryanair to go off at 3.30 next.

[Faugheen_Machine]

Push the Ryanair as a championship race then move the Stayers to the Saturday. This could be the plan, unfortunately.

[jonthehammer]

There was a Paddy Power truck in the Tats giving out Green scarves on Thursday and Paddy mentioned several times in various places they sponsored the race and it had a brand new trophy etc.

Didn't get any free Ryanair flights though, what use they would be now I don't know