Sash sparks a sponsorship row

John Hales, the owner of One Man, yesterday described the obscuring of his company's logo after Saturday's King George VI Chase as "stupid" as he urged the British Horseracing Board to sort out the continuing conflicts between sponsors.

One Man, who may run next in Leopardstown's Hennessy Gold Cup, is at the centre of a row between those who sponsor races and those who sponsor horses that threatens Hales's entitlement to VAT concessions. He has met Customs & Excise rules by securing sponsorship of One Man by his toy company, Golden Bear. But after Saturday's win the Golden Bear logo on Richard Dunwoody's silks was covered by a sash provided by race sponsors, Tripleprint.

"When Richard Dunwoody picked up his prize later he was nicely attired with a Golden Bear toys logo standing out on our colours and collar but now without the sash. Then when he was interviewed by Channel 4 he had rolled down the collar to display the name Saab. I'm not complaining about Richard but it is a stupid situation with three sponsors all trying to get a share of the limelight."