Virgin Bet says grooms play a vital role in the horseracing industry and are responsible for the daily care of the horses, including feeding, grooming and exercising them.
Virgin Bet's initiative will see all 25 grooms rewarded for their contributions, with the winner of the 'Best Turned Out' award receiving £200 ($247) and the remaining grooms receiving £50 each. Virgin Bet will also donate its winnings from the Ayr Gold Cup race to Ayrshire Cancer Support — the official charity partner of Ayr Racecourse.
This initiative highlights the importance of the grooms' work and provides them with recognition and financial support. Additionally, an exclusive 'Virgin Experience Voucher' worth £1,000 is up for grabs in a draw, exclusively for winning grooms. This incentive adds an extra layer of benefit for the grooms.
In July, Virgin bet announced that it had renewed its sponsorship of the Ayr Gold Cup Festival.
David Brown, Ayr Managing Director, said: "We're delighted to be renewing our Ayr Gold Cup partnership with Virgin Bet for a third year and owners and trainers will be excited to hear that the prize money for the race is being increased to £180,000.”
