Sean Mulryan of Ballymore Properties and Sean Dunne of Mountbrook Homes are sponsoring the 200,000 Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle. The race has increased 30,000 in value from 2005. Whitewater is title sponsor of the third day of the festival At previous Punchestown meetings, the Stayers Hurdle has had many high profile competitors including Limestone Lad, Holy Orders, Rhinestone Cowboy and Iris's Gift.

Tom Mullins, trainer of Asian Maze, a 2005 Punchestown festival winner and a current World Hurdle market leader, is aiming to compete in the race as is Ambobo, owned by joint sponsor Sean Mulryan.

The Irish National Hunt Festival has a record prize fund of 2.289 million and takes place from 25-28 April.

Whitewater is opening on the 6 April in Newbridge and will house over 60 major retailers including anchors Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and H&M as well as high profile names such as Zara and New Look. In addition, there will be around 1,700 car parking spaces and a European food court. The impressively designed, modern shopping centre will employ approximately 1,750 full- and part-time staff on completion, in addition to over 2,000 workers employed during the construction phase to date.

Whitewater announced the appointment of Steven Cleaver as centre manager this week.

Cleaver previously held the position of International Project Manager with B&Q, where he spent over 10 years coordinating the planning and retail management of flagship warehouse stores in China, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Cleaver was part of the strategic team behind the planning of the flagship B&Q store for Ireland in 2001 when it opened in the Liffey Valley retail park.