Iroquois, Cheltenham Renew Lucrative Bonus

A lucrative bonus that helped bring some top steeplechase runners from Europe to North America for the $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Steeplechase in May 2016 has been renewed for 2017 and has a sponsor in place.

Nashville, Tenn. private equity firm TVV Capital will sponsor the second year of the $500,000 Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge. The bonus would be awarded to the owner of any horse that wins the Sun Bets Stayers Hurdle March 16 at Cheltenham and the Iroquois Steeplechase May 13, or a horse who wins this year's Iroquois Steeplechase and the 2018 Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham. 

TVV Capital founder and president Andrew Byrd says the Challenge has elevated the sport across borders and continents in a way that truly connects Irish and UK racing with the best of American steeplechasing.

"That historical connection is strong, as is our longstanding relationship with the Iroquois, and so we are very pleased to announce the TVV Capital Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge," Byrd said. "We wish to thank Mike Hankin and Brown Advisory, who first introduced us to the Cheltenham Festival and without whom the Challenge would have been impossible."

Rawnaq won the 2016 Iroquois Steeplechase but a January training injury effectively eliminated him from being able to make the trip to Cheltenham and try for the bonus, that initially was launched last year to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Iroquois Steeplechase. Rawnaq would receive the Eclipse Award as last year's top steeplechaser.

The bonus initially was sponsored by Brown Advisory, which continues to be an important Irqouois day sponsor. The Challenge is an effort to re-establish the historical trans-Atlantic racing rivalry. 

"The Challenge is a tremendous thing for international jump racing, and as horse owners we're looking forward to having an opportunity to pursue it ourselves whilst continuing to support both the Cheltenham Festival and Iroquois Steeplechase," said Brown Advisory chief executive officer Mike Hankin. 

  

Iroquois Chairman Dwight Hall, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Steeplechase Association, sees the Challenge as an opportunity to showcase the best of jump racing in the United States.

 

"The Iroquois last year was a race for the ages, and we fully anticipate the top trainers in Europe entering their best horses again here in May," said Hall. "Our intent was to reignite that overseas rivalry, and I believe we succeeded in doing that. They've seen how our tracks run and they have experienced our hospitality, and we expect the word to spread."