Irish Derby to be bigger and exciting

The weekend's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Group 1), which takes place at The Curragh Racecourse from tomorrow is set to be a spectacular weekend of style, sport and hospitality. Dubai Duty Free are currently in their fourth year of sponsoring Ireland's most popular horse race as part of their five-year sponsorship agreement. This year's festival is set to be bigger than ever with Dubai Duty Free also sponsoring the prestigious Ladies Day on Saturday for the very first time. The lucky winner will walk away with a five-star trip to Dubai and a shopping spree at Dubai Duty Free. In addition, a host of sporting and social events are set to take place as part of the festivities making this an exciting weekend with something to cater for all tastes. The festival itself is now much more than just a racing weekend and race goers are encouraged to, "embrace more than the race". The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Golf Classic will be played on the world famous Palmer Ryder Cup Course at The K Club on Derby tomorrow. The event is a four-ball competition and prizes will be awarded courtesy of Dubai Duty Free. The winning team will also be invited to the races as guests of Dubai Duty Free where they will enjoy racing, lunch and a host of great entertainment in the Dubai Duty Free Pavilion. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Ball takes place at The K Club on the eve of the big race itself on Saturday. This glitzy event is always one of the highlights of the summer's social calendar and will help raise funds for Irish Autism Action, the appointed charity of choice this year. The event will include a fund-raising auction and raffle with some spectacular prizes and a presentation to Derby legends Sir Lester Piggott and Michael Kinane. Food lovers will not be forgotten either with the return of The Good Food Ireland Village featuring live cookery demonstrations and a bustling market environment. From gulfnews.