Sponsorship Blow For Cheltenham As Racing Feels The Pinch

There is no secret in the fact that the world is slowly coming out of one of the biggest recessions in memory but it is clear that Racing is still suffering, this comes after the news that Boyelsports have pulled their sponsorship from the December International Meeting at Cheltenham. The Irish Bookmaker have decided not to renew their partnership with Cheltenham after a four year run as they clearly look to tighten their belts, this leaves the racecourse with the tough task of replacing them for one of their most important fixtures of the season outside of the Cheltenham Festival. The International Meeting is often used as a trial for many Festival hopefuls, with the International Hurdle in particular becoming one of the top races of the season in its own right.

The news from Boylesports follows hot on the heels of the announcement from Stan James that they will not be renewing that sponsorship of the Guineas Meeting on the flat at Newmarket. It's becoming clear that some of the major bookmakers such as Boylesports and Stan James are looking to tighten their belts in these tough times, the sponsorships part of their businesses are being reviewed and it would be no surprise to see one or two more big deals go down the pan in the near future. It is a big worry for the Racing industry as a whole as they look to boost interest in the sport, prize money has been a big issue for the industry and the loss of sponsorship deals will only serve as an extra worry for the likes of the BHA and Racing For Change. Cheltenham will now set about trying to find a new sponsor for the International Meeting as they build up to the Cheltenham Festival for 2011.

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