Stan James Deals Boost Racing

Bookmakers Stan James has signed a bumper deal to sponsor the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse, which is one of the three biggest races in jump racing alongside the Gold Cup and the Grand National.?

The five-year deal sees the company backing The Grade 1 Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, and three other major two-mile hurdle races on the road to the Festival, namely The Grade 1 StanJames.com Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in November, The Grade 2 StanJames.com International at Cheltenham in December and The Grade 2 StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock Park in January. ??

Cheltenham Racecourse managing director Edward Gillespie is says the deal is a landmark for the sport as it means that the races can keep up the high prize money that is associated with the sport.??

‘There is so much pressure on prize money because of the drop in money coming back through the levy from betting shops because of what is happening across the sport,’ said Gillespie.??

‘This is great news for Cheltenham, for Newcastle, for Haydock Park and for British racing at a commercially challenging time,’ he added.