No Go For Go Racing

Go Racing’s troubled £400m deal to create a digital horse racing and betting channel (see Go Racing Deal Could Be Halted By Pre-Race Data Problem) collapsed this morning.

A spokesperson for Go Racing confirmed that, despite an all-night emergency meeting, the consortium had failed to come to an agreement with the British Horseracing Board (BHB) concerning the release of essential pre-race data.

Go Racing’s CEO, Christopher Stoddart, commented: “Go Racing is disappointed that an agreement could not be reached with the BHB regarding a pre race data licence. Our offer to the industry last November was for all rights, present and future. Go Racing cannot take the significant business risk of having important rights excluded.”

The company’s backer, Arena Leisure, required the BHB to release the pre-race data, before it would free the funds it had raised for the project. A meeting was due to be held today to discuss the release of these funds, but has been cancelled. A spokesperson for Go Racing said: “There will be no more discussions, the deal is over. We are taking time out to asses the situation.”

Channel Four: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com BSkyB: 020 7705 3000 www.sky.com Holborn PR (Arena Leisure): 020 7929 5599

Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive