The Champion Hurdle deal represents one of the three biggest Jump racing sponsorships alongside totesport’s agreement for the Gold Cup and John Smith’s deal with the Grand National.
“It has long been an ambition of ours to strengthen the narrative running through the Jump racing season and, having a single sponsor backing four of the most important two-mile hurdle races, will enable a continuity to the promotion of that category,” said Cheltenham managing director Edward Gillespie.
“We share the goal of the industry, through Racing For Change, to bring racing back into the public’s line of vision and I hope that our sponsorship of three of the races on ‘The Road to Cheltenham’, including major races at Newcastle and Haydock Park, will help to achieve that aim,” added Stan James chief executive Denis Kelly.
Under the agreement, the four races will be named: Stan James Champion Hurdle, StanJames.com Fighting Fifth (Newcastle, November), StanJames.com International (Cheltenham, December) and StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial (Haydock Park, January).
