British sponsor for French race

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 24

British sponsor for French race

NZPA London Europe's richest horse race, the French Prix de I'Arc de Triomphe. is to be sponsored by a British-based catering company who said that they would "also like to sponsor an English classic. The group. Trusthouse Forte, said that they were putting about sAust7oo.ooo into the Arc over the next four years with an option to extend for a further three. This year’s race at Longchamp, Paris, on October 3, will have total prize money of sAust49o.ooo. The race was established in 1920 as an international test for colts and fillies. Trusthouse Forte, a multinational group which owns hotels in 33 countries, has

declared an interest in sponsoring one or all five of the English classics. "If we had been given the opportunity to sponsor an English classic in the same class as the Arc de Triomphe we would have been pleased to giv'e it consideration." the joint chief executive. Mr Rocco Forte, said. The Trusthouse Forte services director. Mr Dennis Hearn, said that the Jockey Club, horse-racing's ruling body in Britain, had not reached a stage of looking for sponsors. "It is known that they want one sponsor for all the classics in a long-term deal and are not prepared to sell them off piecemeal. We are certainly in the market for that sponsorship.” he said.