Go Racing Gets Go Ahead For Racing Channel

Go Racing, the consortium hoping to create a dedicated digital horse racing channel (see C4’s Racing Plans Back On Track) has announced that it has reached the necessary level of acceptances from the UK’s racecourses to complete its deal to acquire media and related rights to British racing. A vote was taken regarding the consortium’s contract earlier this week.

The consortium, which includes Channel 4, BSkyB and Arena Leisure, has received acceptances from enough racecourses to represent 71% of betting turnover. So far the racecourses which have signed up are those within the Terrestrial Rights Group, Racecourse Holdings Trust, Arena Leisure and Northern Racing groups, giving a total of 32 of a possible 59 courses in agreement.

Christopher Stoddart, CEO of Go Racing, said, “I am delighted that we have had such a good level of acceptances so quickly from the racecourses. We hope to be able to welcome most of the remaining racecourses by 11 May.”

Channel 4: 020 7306 8666 www.channel4.com BSkyB: 020 7705 3905 www.sky.com Holborn PR (Arena Leisure): 020 7929 5599

Subscribers can access more digital viewing figures in the Television database by selecting “Television” from the drop-down box at the top of this page.