Joseph O’Brien won the summer series at Leopardstown© Photo Healy Racing
Following on from the success of the Summer Series Trainers Championship, Leopardstown Racecourse are delighted to announce leading global equine science company Plusvital will sponsor the Plusvital Leading Trainer Award at this years Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
Joseph O’Brien, winner of the Plusvital Summer Series Championship, was on hand to launch the National Hunt edition at his yard in Owning, Kilkenny.
The Plusvital Leading Trainer Award will see trainers receive points for their successes at each day of the Christmas Festival, running from December 26th to 29th, with the overall winner being presented with €1500 worth of Plusvital nutritional supplement or genetic testing products on the final day of the four day festival.
Plusvital will also sponsor the final race on the 29th of December, The Plusvital INH Flat Race, rounding of the championship and the Leopardstown Christmas Festival on the final day.
The final race of the four day festival which features past winners such as the Joseph O’Brien trained Eric Bloodaxe; was won in 2020 by the impressive and still unbeaten Hollow Games trained by Gordon Elliott, who pipped Eurotiep at the line.
Plusvital are also generously supporting stable staff throughout the Christmas Festival by supplying the “Best Turned Out”, winning grooms with an equine car pack to acknowledge their contribution to the Industry and the Christmas Festival.
Speaking about their increased support at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and the Plusvital Leading Trainer Award; Mike Shelly, CEO of Plusvital, said: "We are delighted to extend our partnership with Leopardstown Racecourse. The racing and bloodstock industry are at the core of our business and we feel fortunate to be able to support the industry that supports us. Irish National Hunt trainers continue to excel on the world stage and Plusvital are proud to be part of this Championship that will recognise the talent of these trainers.
"In addition to the Trainers Championship, we are delighted to be able to support stablestaff at this year's Christmas Festival. We appreciate the exceptional work that they do, often behind-the scenes. We will be supplying a care pack to all grooms who win a Best Turned Out award throughout the Christmas Festival."
Tim Husbands M.B.E., CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse added; “It’s such a pleasure to have Plusvital extend their partnership to include the Leopardstown Christmas Festival after such a positive summer. The trainer’s championship, which ran across the summer was positively received by all involved and it really added another dimension to the racedays. I’ve no doubt it will be the same for the Leading Trainer Award at this years Christmas Festival; if not more, as the leaderboard will shift quickly across the four days!
"The enhanced support in the form of race sponsorship and the very generous support for the unsung heroes of our sport; the stablestaff, only goes to highlight the valued impact Plusvital are having both on and off the track in our Industry.”
