Toshiba to sponsor Irish Champion Hurdle Leopardstown racecourse announced today that TOS Ireland, the Irish distributor of Toshiba's office equipment products, will sponsor the Irish Champion Hurdle to be run on January 25th 2009. Formerly the AIG Champion Hurdle, the race will now be named the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle and boasts a prize fund of ?120,000. The Grade 1 contest always attracts a top class line-up, and last season Sizing Europe recorded an impressive eight lengths success over former winner Hardy Eustace, with Al Eile back in third. Leopardstown Manager Tom Burke said, 'Toshiba is a very welcome sponsor for this prestigious race which always attracts the top hurdlers in training. I would like to pay special tribute to AIG Ireland and particularly Managing Director Sean Hehir for supporting this race for 16 years and helping to make it one of the highlights of the National Hunt season.'
