Racehorses will go under starters orders for the first Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase at Bangor-on-Dee in September.
Organisers of Wrexham’s World Tennis Tour event – the biggest women’s tennis tournament, outside of the grass-court season, to be played in the UK this year – have established a new partnership with the popular North Wales racecourse to support each other’s activities.
Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse, set in glorious countryside, have signed up to be one of the sponsors of a new street food zone and Tie Break Café, which will be introduced for the first time at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre for October’s Lexus Wrexham Open.
The tournament, which was won last year by rising Welsh star Mimi Xu, will have a race named after it at Bangor-on-Dee’s North Wales Business Day fixture on Friday, September 4.
Dave Courteen, promoter of the Lexus Wrexham Open, said: “We believe it’s important that sporting venues across North Wales work together to promote what they do, so we are delighted to be working in partnership with Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse.
“We think we will become the first tennis tournament in the UK to have a horse race named after it, so we are really excited about watching the Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase.
“The North Wales Business Day fixture promises to be a great event, and we are looking forward to attending, while we also thank the team at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse for becoming involved as a sponsor with our tournament.
“Their support will help us make the new street food zone, which we are introducing for the first time at October’s event, an excellent addition for tennis fans.”
Sam Martin, head of marketing and communications at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse, added: “The North Wales Business day is the first time we’ve run this type of race day to celebrate business in Wrexham and North Wales. We’re proud to be partnering with the Chamber of Commerce, having a networking day before the racing starts.
“We’re also really proud to be working with Lexus Wrexham Open as well. They are taking race sponsorship on that day and we are supporting the street food zone during the tennis week.
“It will be great to see some of the branding in place and to see how two sporting events in the area can collaborate and make the most of both audiences.”
Bangor-on-Dee, a left handed jumps racecourse, has been hosting meetings since 1859 over much the same course on which the races are held today.
The Lexus Wrexham Open, set to feature both rising and more established women’s tennis stars from around the world, is a much more recent addition to the local sporting calendar having been held for the first time last year.
The W100 tournament will return to Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre between October 18-25, with the 700-seat capacity Carden Park Arena providing spectators with the chance to enjoy watching world class tennis.
