Memorial day at the races for Cantor Fitzgerald fund

Jockeys were black armbands and stood in silence in the winner's enclosure of Hereford's racecourse yesterday during a special meet sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald.

The City firm, which lost 658 workers last September, contributed to all seven races as part of a fund-raising effort for the victims' families.

The memorial day was the brainchild of three jockeys, the champion, Tony McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald and Carl Llewellyn. Cantor Fitzgerald has a spread-betting arm, is a regular sponsor of racing and had forged close links with jockeys and trainers.

McCoy, who wore black breeches for the occasion, was among those jockeys who donated their riding fees and winnings to the Cantor Fitz-gerald Relief Fund, which benefits 800 of the families affected by the disaster. The fund has already distributed more than £15m.

Hundreds of people gathered around the winners' enclosure as the jockeys lined up inside for a few minutes of prayer at the time when the first hijacked planes crashed in New York. "We have all got to do our bit," Llewellyn said. "All the jockeys were behind us and we all just thought it was a good thing to do."

Llewellyn had previously run on horses owned by James Blackshaw, a British director of Cantor Fitzgerald.