Racing: TV channel shutdown a warning for turf finances

A little bit of racing died yesterday when it was announced that the Racing Channel would be closing at the end of the month. The free to air non-terrestrial station had been ailing for some time, but its demise became certain when it lost access to Irish action recently. The future of 14 staff is under discussion.

Horse Racing Ireland could not come to an agreement with the American sports broadcaster TRNI, the Racing Channel's owners, following a period of free broadcasting and coverage ceased on New Year's Day. "It was the catalyst to the closure," David Holdgate, the chief executive of SIS, which produces the Racing Channel, said yesterday.

"Suddenly we were faced with the prospect of not having sufficient product in the afternoon to run a viable service. So TRNI have decided to give up the ghost and stop at the end of January. Losing the Irish caused TRNI to re-evaluate their business plan and they said they didn't want to continue. At that point, there is no Racing Channel."

The Racing Channel never failed on account of being too highbrow. There was plenty of waffle in the studio, coverage from South Africa and the more obscure outposts of the United States. But it was some sort of shop window for the sport.

It is now unclear when we will next see televised action from the 10 British courses under its aegis: Exeter, Fakenham, Hexham, Kelso, Leicester, Perth, Sedgefield, Stratford, Taunton and Towcester.

"We own those rights and they will still get the money they were always going to get," Holdgate added. "They don't lose out financially. We've got to work out how we utilise those rights and there is a very limited number of outlets we can got to. They are non-terrestrial television rights. Is there a deal to be done with Attheraces? I don't know."

The attention will now turn to the surviving Attheraces platform. "There was always a question about whether two channels could operate and there may be an even bigger question now about any interactive channel making it pay when you look at the figures that were quoted this week for the viewing and turnover for Attheraces," Holdgate said. "And they've got the plum product in the UK.

"I have been asked if this is a triumph for Attheraces. It's exactly the opposite. It's a bit of a warning."

Not that there was much racing to televise yesterday, and it looks just as bleak for the weekend. Track inspections will take place this morning at Ascot, Warwick and Uttoxeter to decide whether any jump fixtures can go ahead tomorrow.

All three courses need to escape further frost to give them a chance. Ascot, due to stage the £120,000 Victor Chandler Chase, are to inspect at 9am but are not hopeful with the course still frozen in places and temperatures forecast to dip below freezing again tonight.

Uttoxeter postponed a decision until today after taking a look yesterday afternoon. Warwick are still clinging to the hope that their richest racecard can be saved, with both the Tote Classic Chase and Tolworth Hurdle hanging in the balance.

If the turf courses are abandoned, Saturday racing in Britain will again consist of all-weather racing – at Lingfield and Southwell.

Prospects at Leopardstown in Ireland looked much healthier yesterday ahead of Sunday's valuable Pierse Hurdle meeting.