Racing: Ireland's premier two-year-old race, the €300,000 National Stakes, will be sponsored this year by Dunnes Stores.

The news was confirmed yesterday when the Curragh racecourse outlined their 2003 programme which will have a €10.2 million prize fund spread over 19 meetings.

The richest race will be the €1.3 million Budweiser Derby which remains the third most valuable prize in Europe after the Epsom Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

There will be a total of nine Group One races, seven Group Twos, 14 Group Threes and 15 Listed events.

The Curragh also announced yesterday that it is being twinned with Newmarket, the headquarters of racing in Britain.

The aim is to encourage local trainers to send horses across the Irish Sea and there will be special concessions for members at both tracks.