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Through our partnership with The Jockey Club, Close Brothers is a proud supporter of British horse racing.
Since 2016, we have been proud to partner with The Jockey Club, supporting British horse racing at 15 of the country’s most iconic racecourses.
From Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National Festival, and the Derby, The Jockey Club is part of the fabric of British racing.
At Close Brothers, we believe in hard work, determination, teamwork and resilience, and these values are at the heart of our people and our business.
It’s these values that have drawn us to the world of horse racing, a world where success comes from following these same principles.
Governed by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes goes back into British horse racing, with more than 6,000 people employed to look after the 14,000 horses in training. It continues to invest in its facilities to make sure they offer their equine participants the best possible experience.
The Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
Day three of Cheltenham Festival saw our named race the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, take place at 2.40 pm live on ITV1.
Wodhooh, ridden by Jack Kennedy and trained by Gordon Elliott, delivered an impressive performance to secure the win, holding off a strong challenge from Jade De Grugy. The victory marked the first success of this year’s Festival for both jockey and trainer.
The Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Steeple Chase
Day 1 of the Aintree Grand National Festival saw the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Steeple Chase take place at 4:40 pm, live on ITV1.
Ryan’s Rocket, ridden by Jonathan Burke and trained by Fergal O’Brien, came home three and a half lengths clear of Highlands Legacy to win the race.
Close Brothers Handicap Stakes
The Close Brothers Handicap Stakes took place at Sandown Park Racecourse on Friday 25 July , along with four other Close Brothers named races. Live racing was broadcast on Racing TV.
Among our races, we were delighted to highlight our two corporate charity partners, Cancer Research UK and Make-A-Wish UK in races five and six.
Close Brothers Mares Novice Hurdle
Close Brothers Commercial Finance is a proud supporter of Irish horse racing, and since 2018 has been a sponsor at Punchestown Festival, the home of national jump racing in Ireland.
Honeysuckle, one of the all-time greats
It was a fairytale ending in 2023 with Honeysuckle, ridden by Rachael Blackmore and trained by Henry de Bromhead, signing off her career with a fourth Cheltenham Festival victory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, a race she previously won in 2020.
Honeysuckle was also awarded the Judges Choice Award at The McCoys, The Jockey Club jump racing awards ceremony back in September 2023, and it was a fitting tribute for Close Brothers to be sponsor of the award.
Watch the video to take a look back at Honeysuckle's success over the years, and of course her wins in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle race.
Honeysuckle: The Next Chapter
Watch the video to see how Honeysuckle is settling into life after retirement and meet her new foal.
