UK bookmaker William Hill has announced the expansion of its horse racing ambassador portfolio by adding Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell; National Hunt jockeys J. J. Slevin and Sean Flanagan; and broadcaster and presenter Jane Mangan. This move is part of an effort to strengthen the brand’s presence in Irish horse racing.
The new ambassadors will provide blogs and regular video content for William Hill’s social media platforms, covering major news and events in horse racing. This initiative will commence before the Dublin Racing Festival, taking place this weekend at Leopardstown, where Slevin will compete in the Irish Gold Cup with the horse Fastorslow.
In conjunction with these signings, the operator also announced the extension of its sponsorship of the William Hill Champion Chase on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival for another three years. Furthermore, the company will sponsor other races, including the William Hill Boyne Hurdle in Navan, scheduled for February 11.
Give a warm welcome to our 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 of @WilliamHill Ambassadors! 🇮🇪
⭐️ @jane_mangan
⭐️ @gavincromwell1
⭐️ J J Slevin
⭐️ @swflanaganStay tuned…! 📻 pic.twitter.com/vLNL94I3rr
— William Hill Racing (@WillHillRacing) January 29, 2024
William Hill has also partnered with Off The Ball, an Irish sports media company that produces its podcast, radio, website, and live digital content. This partnership will result in live horse racing events co-branded by William Hill and Off The Ball throughout Ireland in the coming months. The first event is scheduled for February 1, preceding the Dublin Racing Festival, and will feature all four of the new Irish horse racing ambassadors.
Andrew McCleave, Head of Marketing at William Ireland, said: “William Hill has a long proud history in horse racing, specifically in the UK, and for 2024 we want to position ourselves at the heart of racing in Ireland as well.”
“We are delighted to announce Gavin Cromwell, J J Slevin, Sean Flanagan and Jane Mangan as our new horse racing ambassadors in Ireland. All four are very talented in their fields and will be able to offer fascinating and unique insight to our followers.”
“We really want to get into the DNA of Irish racing by supporting big races and festivals, so it’s fantastic that we have extended our sponsorship of the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival for another three years, while our deal with Off The Ball should really help increase our exposure too,” he concluded.