All Good as Goodwood Announces Virgin Bet Partnership
Goodwood Racecourse and Virgin Bet announce a ‘presenting partner’ agreement that will debut at this weekend’s Bank Holiday fixture.
All has been good at Goodwood in 2025. © Getty
Key Facts:
- Virgin Bet named Goodwood’s ‘presenting partner’ for the remainder of 2025.
- New deal sees Virgin Bet name alongside Prestige Stakes and Celebration Mile.
- Kids can go free at Goodwood during Great British Racing National Racehorse Week.
The British Horseracing Authority may be raging a pre-emptive war with the Labour Government, but things are rosy at one of the 59 racecourses it licences.
Despite poor weather, Goodwood recently declared a 10% increase in attendance at its 2025 Qatar Festival meeting – better known as ‘Glorious Goodwood’.
The West Sussex venue has now announced it has entered into a ‘presenting partner’ agreement with top UK online bookmaker, Virgin Bet, owned by the British multinational conglomerate, Virgin.
The new agreement will see Virgin Bet feature prominently with branding, ticketing, digital content, and elevated hospitality, including exclusive VIP moments for racegoers at the course’s final six meetings of 2025. The first of these takes place this Friday.
Virgin Bet Enters the Prestige Stakes
Half of the 20 races at Goodwood’s August Bank Holiday meeting (August 22 to 24) will be sponsored by Virgin Games’ sister site, including the course’s final two Group races of the season. Sunday’s Virgin Bet Prestige Stakes carries Group 3 status, and the Virgin Bet Celebration Mile is a Group 2.
Goodwood says Friday evening’s fixture will end in a spectacular fireworks display and boasts “celebrations will continue with world-class racing, live music, family entertainment and a relaxed, nostalgic summer atmosphere” on Saturday and Sunday.
“With Virgin Bet on board, the weekend promises to be even more exciting, supporting Goodwood’s focus on creating standout sporting and entertainment experiences for its racegoers,” an official statement read.
Thrill and Excitement for Racing Fans
Announcing the new partnership, Dominic Vye, Marketing Director, Virgin Bet, said: “Partnering with Goodwood is a fantastic opportunity to engage with racing fans at some of the most celebrated fixtures in the calendar.”
“At Virgin Bet, we want to ensure that race days are not only thrilling but also inclusive and welcoming for everyone who attends, and our commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering positive change within sports and culture is central to how we approach partnerships like this.”
Kids Go Free on Racehorse Week
The August Bank Holiday festival takes place over the Great British Racing National Racehorse Week, a nationwide annual celebration of the racehorse that allows the public to see first-hand the love, care and attention that goes into looking after racehorses.
To coincide with the event, entry fees into Goodwood’s weekend race days start from just £18 per day. Furthermore, children can enter without charge with the course providing free family activities, including nostalgic entertainment in the fairground with rides, live music, face painting and live performances.
Coral Will Return for Goodwood’s 2026 Festival
The dates for the final three Goodwood meetings in 2025, all supported and presented by Virgin Bet, are September 2, September 24, and October 12. With Goodwood not staging National Hunt racing, the course will then remain closed until next May.
Overall, Goodwood is scheduled to stage 19 race days from May to October during 2026. The mid-summer Qatar Goodwood Festival will once again be presented in partnership with the Coral betting brand following a three-year extension to a sponsorship agreement first signed in July 2022.
