Finance track covers partnership in deal (7)
I believe the answer is:
sponsor
'finance' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'track covers partnership in deal' is the wordplay.
'track' becomes 'spoor' (track left by an animal).
'covers' is an insertion indicator.
'partnership in deal' becomes 'ns' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'spoor' going around 'ns' is 'SPONSOR'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sponsor that I've seen before include "One offering support" , "Provide finance for" , "Finance (an event)" , "Godparent at a baptism" , "Event funder; godparent" .)