RYANAIR is the new sponsor of the Grade 1 novice chase at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival, replacing whiskey distiller Powers whose 55-year sponsorship was the longest in Irish racing.

Under the Ryanair banner the Easter Sunday race gets a prize money boost this year (from €90,000 to €100,000) and Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has confirmed that all Ryanair horse racing sponsorships are funded from his own pocket and not by the company.

O’Leary, whose horses race under the Gigginstown House Stud banner, has never won the Fairyhouse race but is expected to have a strong hand on April 5th, possibly headed by course and distance winner Valseur Lido. “If I don’t win it I hope A.P. McCoy wins it on Gilgamboa as that will get extra publicity for the race,” said O’Leary this week.

The typical attendance on Easter Sunday is 8,000 and the sponsors intend to work with the racecourse to try and increase this to 10,000. Among the initiatives being planned are 30 free tickets for those flying into Ireland for Easter weekend, a two-for-one ticket offer for all Ryanair customers, a €3,000 holiday to be given away on the day, along with 30 free flight vouchers.

Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe said: “It is a great testament to the high regard the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse is held in to have a business of Ryanair’s stature get behind the event. We look forward to working with the Ryanair team as we approach what promises to be another exciting Fairyhouse Easter Festival.”