GAIN Horse Feeds will sponsor the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle on Irish Gold Cup Day at Leopardstown next month. The announcement was made at the Piltown, Co Kilkenny training yard managed by Joseph O’Brien, who is aiming recent Leopardstown winner and Triumph Hurdle favourite Ivanovich Gorbatov at the race.

Irish Gold Cup Day is the only raceday in Ireland featuring four Grade 1 races. The Gain Spring Juvenile Hurdle has proved a key trial for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in recent years.

The 2013 winner Our Conor went on to win the Triumph Hurdle as did Tiger Roll, runner-up in the Leopardstown race. Guitar Pete (2014 winner) and last year’s heroine Petite Parisienne went on to further Grade 1 glory at Aintree and Punchestown respectively.

Mary Delaney, Head of Equine at Gain, said: “The National Hunt sector is very important to us and this is a great opportunity to underpin our commitment to this part of the bloodstock industry.”