William Hill and Punchestown Racecourse have announced a major sponsorship agreement establishing the leading bookmaker as the official new sponsor of the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle, set to run on Saturday, November 21, 2026.
This strategic partnership further expands William Hill’s prominent footprint at the Irish track, complementing its existing sponsorship of the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase during the flagship Punchestown Festival. By securing naming rights for both fixtures, the bookmaker now anchors both ends of the Punchestown Grade 1 season.
The William Hill Morgiana Hurdle stands as one of the calendar’s most prestigious two-mile hurdle contests, traditionally serving as the seasonal debut for reigning and potential champions. Its distinguished roll of honour features luminaries of the sport, including reigning victor and dual Cheltenham and Punchestown Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth, predecessor State Man, and the legendary Hurricane Fly, who dominated the race with three consecutive victories from 2012 to 2014.
Centrepiece of the pre-Christmas Premiere Weekend
The William Hill Morgiana Hurdle takes centre stage on the opening day of Punchestown’s Premiere Weekend, held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026. As a premier highlight of the pre-Christmas racing schedule, the weekend features a lucrative Grade 1 double-header, with Saturday’s feature hurdle followed immediately by the prestigious John Durkan Memorial Chase on Sunday, supported by a stellar card of Graded, Listed, and cross-country events. Demand for the showcase is exceptionally high, with hospitality packages such as the famous Punchestown Race & Dine selling out well in advance.
The exceptional calibre of form emerging from the fixture was powerfully demonstrated in 2025, when seasonal debuts at the Premiere Weekend launched winners of the Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups, the Champion Hurdle, the Ryanair Chase, the Grand National, and four Punchestown Festival contests, ultimately yielding 11 Grade 1 winners across the season.
Executive commentary on the expanded partnership
Andrew McCleave, Head of Marketing at William Hill Ireland, commented on the announcement:
“The William Hill Morgiana Hurdle is always a big race in the Jumps calendar, and we look forward to kicking off as sponsors for the first time this season. We’re delighted to be sponsoring a race which features the likes of Lossiemouth, Faugheen and Hurricane Fly on the roll of honour, and we’re excited to see who follows in their hoofprints this year. Sponsorship of the Morgiana further adds to our visibility at the track via the William Hill Challenge Series and the William Hill Champion Chase, so we’re really looking forward to the season ahead at Punchestown. From the grassroots to Grade 1s, we’re excited to see what this campaign will bring.”
Janet Creighton of the Punchestown Sponsorship Team added:
“The William Hill team have doubled down on their commitment to Irish Jumps racing with this sponsorship. They now top and tail the Punchestown season at Grade 1 level on our biggest days which really shows how much they value and support Irish National Hunt racing. The Premiere Weekend has gone from strength to strength, as has William Hill’s support at Punchestown. We look forward to continuing to grow this partnership and deliver more brilliant racing.”
