Insurance broking group Howden has become the sponsor and official insurance partner of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and its Melbourne Cup Carnival.
An official partner of Royal Ascot since 2021, Howden said it was passionate about racing.
The three-year partnership between Howden and VRC will see the insurance broking group take up prominent trackside signage at Flemington and assume naming rights to the Group 1 Howden Australian Guineas (1,600 metres), Australia's premier autumn three-year-old race and the main event on Howden Australian Guineas Day.
Howden will also become an official support partner of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, VRC's community initiative to drive local and international engagement with Australia's iconic sporting trophy – the 18-carat gold Lexus Melbourne Cup.
“The VRC is delighted to have Howden join the list of VRC partners and become the club's official insurance partner until at least 2026,” said VRC CEO Steve Rosich. “We are thrilled to welcome Howden to our stable of outstanding long-term partners, including the likes of Lexus, TAB, Penfolds, Furphy, and Kennedy, through which we have shared mutual beneficial partnerships with for many years. We pride ourselves on these relationships and look forward to what the future holds with Howden.”
Howden Pacific CEO Matt Bacon welcomed the partnership with VRC, highlighting both organisations' passion for racing and “the way [they unite and excite people].”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Victoria Racing Club, custodians of Flemington Racecourse, and Australia's greatest racing event the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” he said. “Howden has firm plans to expand its presence in Australia, and we know the Melbourne Cup Carnival in spring and Flemington Racing Spectacular in autumn has strong reach that will help us grow our brand awareness in the Australian market.”
Howden CEO David Howden added: “Further to our very successful Ascot partnership in the UK, the opportunity to be associated with one of the world's most thrilling and iconic race days – Australia's Lexus Melbourne Cup – is hugely exciting for us and means we can take our new brand to new audiences.”
In other news, Howden expanded its presence in the Western Australia with its latest acquisition.
