Silver Cross to sponsor Grade 1 Stayer's Hurdle on Grand National Day

Aintree Racecourse has confirmed a renewed sponsorship with Silver Cross for The Crabbie's Grand National Festival 2014.

The deal sees Silver Cross take the sponsorship of The Stayer's Hurdle (registered as The Liverpool Hurdle) on Grand National Day of the three day festival at Aintree.

With the race now a feature on Grand National Day after swapping positions with The Aintree Hurdle from the opening day of the three-day festival in 2013, the 3m 1f Grade 1 contest has been 'renamed' from its previous title of The Liverpool Hurdle in a move designed to make clearer its type and championship status to racegoers and the viewing public.

Alan Halsall, chairman and owner of Silver Cross, the nursery brand famous for its prams, established in England in 1877, said: "I am thrilled that Silver Cross will continue to support Aintree, a racecourse for which I have held a lifelong passion. In particular, I am especially pleased that we are now sponsoring the Silver Cross Stayer's Hurdle, with a prize fund of £120k, a race that has been won by some legendary horses in its long history, most notably of course by Big Bucks".

John Baker, Aintree and North West Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, commented: "We're delighted to welcome back Silver Cross to The Crabbie's Grand National Festival in 2014. They have been great supporters of the sport, festival and Aintree across the years and they are a strong international brand to which we are continually excited to be aligned to.

"Silver Cross's increased level of association via their sponsorship and the newly named Silver Cross Stayer's Hurdle is a great example of how hard sponsorship at The Crabbie's Grand National can work for a brand. Renaming the race to The Silver Cross Stayer's Hurdle also makes a stronger connection to the quality of the race and reaffirms the definition of the type of race this actually is".

The Crabbie's Grand National Festival takes place at Aintree from 3rd-5th April 2014 and will see the 167th running of the steeple chase since the first Grand National 175 years ago.