Racing TV (formerly Racing UK) is a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

television channel with 34 racecourses as shareholders and fixtures from 61 racecourses broadcast live on its output. Racing TV is one of the two major UK horse racing television channels, the other being

Sky Sports Racing Sky Sports Racing (formerly At The Races) is a British pay television channel devoted primarily to horse racing. The channel is operated by ATTHERACES Limited, a joint venture between Sky Group, Arena Racing Company and various racecourses. ...

. The station is dedicated to

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

broadcasting over 70% of all live racing from Britain and Ireland, including nearly 90% of all Group and Graded races.

History

Known as The Horse Racing Channel before launch, Racing UK soft-launched on 29 May 2004 on the Sky Digital channel iSports TV. Two months later on 16 July, the network entered into a partnership with Irish sports broadcaster

Setanta Sports Setanta Sports Media is a sports television company based in Dublin, Ireland and in Tbilisi, Georgia, broadcasting throughout select Eurasian countries, and the Philippines. The company was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Iris ...

to officially launch the network in September, where Setanta would be the channel's broadcast partner and distributor. The channel officially launched on Sky Channel 432 on 1 September and remained on Channel 425 until the end of the month when the channel would become encrypted. Racing UK was added to

Telewest Telewest (previously Telewest Broadband and Telewest Communications) was a cable internet, broadband internet, telephone supplier and cable television provider in the United Kingdom. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange, and was also ...

's Active Digital service on 15 September and later launched an online service. The channel launched on the NTL: Home digital cable platform in February 2005. As Racing UK grew several other business units and joint ventures were developed under the ownership of the parent company Racecourse Media Group Ltd. On 3 March 2006, the channel announced the launch of

Racing World Racing World was a spin-off service from Racing UK operated as a joint-venture with Magna Entertainment Corp. and Churchill Downs Incorporated, and broadcast horse racing coverage from the United States including such courses as Arlington Park a ...

, a sister network formed as a joint-venture with the American-based Magna Entertainment Corp. and Churchill Downs Incorporated and would broadcast Horse Races from both companies. The channel launched on Sky Digital on 8 March 2006. On August 17, the broadcaster entered into an expanded partnership with Setanta by merging it's standalone subscription package of Racing UK and Racing World with Setanta's, allowing Setanta customers access to the channel and Racing World and Racing UK/Racing World subscribers access to Setanta's networks on all platforms. In May 2008, Racing UK announced the axing of Racing World due to poor viewing figures. It's EPG slot on Sky was given to Setanta Sports, still under the Racing World name. On 23 June 2009, following financial difficulties and collapse into

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. ** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...

in the United Kingdom, Setanta Sports shuttered all their television networks. Racing UK announced the following day that they would take over operations of the network on their own and would broadcast free-to-air for the summer. The network resumed it's subscription package on August 16, and soon became encrypted on Virgin Media as well. On 17 December 2018, Racing UK was rebranded as Racing TV on air in anticipation of the first live broadcast of racing from Ireland on 1 January 2019. At the same time, Racing TV began promoting its new Racing TV Extra service which provides viewers with dedicated feeds from each racecourse fixture via

Streaming Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...

and OTT TV platforms(SD only for Virgin Media Ireland customers).

Racecourse Media Group

Racecourse Media Group Ltd (RMG) is the umbrella organisation for the 34 Racecourses, which holds their interest i
Racing TV
Racecourse Retail Business
Racing TVi
an
RDC
The racecourses (and shareholders) are: Aintree, Ayr, Beverley, Carlisle, Cartmel, Catterick Bridge, Cheltenham, Chelmsford, Epsom Downs, Exeter, Fakenham, Goodwood, Hamilton Park, Haydock Park, Huntingdon, Kelso, Kempton Park, Leicester, Ludlow, Market Rasen, Musselburgh, Newbury, Newmarket, Nottingham, Perth, Pontefract, Redcar, Salisbury, Sandown Park, Stratford, Taunton, Thirsk, Warwick, Wetherby, Wincanton and York.

Contracted courses

The list of the racecourses that are contracted to Racing TV are: *

Aintree Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, northeast of Liverpool city centre. In 2011 the parish had a p ...

Ascot Ascot, Ascott or Askot may refer to: Places Australia * Ascot, Queensland, suburb of Brisbane * Ascot, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a locality * Ascot Park, South Australia, suburb of Adelaide * Ascot (Ballarat), town near Ballarat in Victoria ...

(British Champions Day only) *

Ayr Ayr ( ; ; , meaning "confluence of the River Àir"), is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. A former royal burgh, today it is the administrative centre of South Ayrshire Council, and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With ...

Ballinrobe Ballinrobe () is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. As of the 2022 census, the population was 3,148. The town is in a civil parish of the same name. Hist ...

Bellewstown Bellewstown () is a townland and village located 8 km south of Drogheda, on the Hill of Crockafotha in County Meath in Ireland. Bellewstown townland, which is in the electoral division of Ardcath and the civil parish of Duleek, had a popul ...

Beverley Beverley is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is located north-west of Hull city centre. At the 2021 census the built-up area of the town had a population of 30,930, and the smaller civil parish had ...

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...

Cartmel Cartmel is a village in Furness (traditionally "Lancashire-over-the-Sands" (and in the ceremonial county of Cumbria), England, northwest of Grange-over-Sands close to the River Eea. The village takes its name from the Cartmel Peninsula, a ...

Catterick Bridge Catterick Bridge is a hamlet about north of Catterick, North Yorkshire, Catterick, at the south end of Catterick Bridge (bridge), Catterick road bridge. The hamlet includes Catterick Racecourse and a few houses. The Sunday market, held at the ...

* Chelmsford City *

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

Clonmel Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Dro ...

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

Curragh The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Japanese Gardens. Pollardstown Fen, the larges ...

Downpatrick Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Down Cathedral, Its cathedral is sai ...

* Down Royal *

Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...

Epsom Downs Epsom Downs is an area of chalk downland, chalk upland near Epsom, Surrey; in the North Downs. Part of the area is taken up by the Epsom Downs Racecourse, racecourse; the gallops are part of the land purchased by Stanly Wootton in 1925 and are ...

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

Fairyhouse Fairyhouse Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Ireland. It is situated in the parish of Ratoath in County Meath, on the R155 regional road, off the N3. It hosted its first race in 1848 and since 1870 has been the home of the Irish Grand ...

Fakenham Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north-west of Norwich. The town is at the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to N ...

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

* Goodwood *

Gowran Park Gowran Park is a horse race course in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the Annely Estate near the village of Gowran. The first meeting was held in 1914. and the first ever racecourse commentary in Ireland took place here in 1952. Gowra ...

* Hamilton Park *

Haydock Park Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. The racecourse is set in an area of parkland bounded by the towns of Haydock to the west, Ashton-in-Makerfield to the north, Golborne to the east and Newton-le-Willows ...

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...

* Kelso * Kempton Park *

Kilbeggan Kilbeggan () is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is in the barony of Moycashel. Geography Kilbeggan is situated on the River Brosna, in the south of County Westmeath. It lies south of Lough Ennell, and Castletown Geoghegan, north of ...

Killarney Killarney ( ; , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Killar ...

Laytown Laytown () is a village in County Meath, Ireland, located on the R150 regional road and overlooking the Irish Sea. Historically it was called ''Ninch'', after the townland it occupies. Together with the neighbouring villages of Mornington, ...

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

Leopardstown Leopardstown (), historically called Ballinlore, is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. With institutional lands and a large racecourse, it is divided by the M50 motorway (Ireland), M50 motorw ...

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

Listowel Listowel ( ; , ) is a heritage market town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is on the River Feale, from the county town, Tralee. The town of Listowel had a population of 4,794 according to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the third large ...

Ludlow Ludlow ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the conf ...

Market Rasen Market Rasen ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The River Rase runs through it east to west, approximately north-east from Lincoln, England, Lincoln, eas ...

Musselburgh Musselburgh (; ; ) is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh city centre. It had a population of as of . History The name Musselburgh is Old English language, Old English in ...

Naas Naas ( ; or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge, County Kildare, Newbridge) and the List of urban ar ...

Navan Navan ( ; , meaning "the Cave") is the county town and largest town of County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is at the confluence of the River Boyne and Leinster Blackwater, Blackwater, around 50 km northwest of Dublin. At the ...

* Newmarket *Newmarket (Rowley) *

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. It lies to the east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the ...

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Punchestown Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish Nationa ...

Redcar Redcar is a seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast in the Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority. It is in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England, and is located east of Middlesbrough. The Teesside built-up area's Redcar subdiv ...

Roscommon Roscommon (; ; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60 road (Ireland), N60, N61 road (Ireland), N61 and N63 road (Irelan ...

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racin ...

Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...

Stratford-on-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-west of ...

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England. It is a market town and has a Minster (church), minster church. Its population in 2011 was 64,621. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century priory, monastic foundation, owned by the ...

Thirsk Thirsk is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England; it is known for its racecourse and depiction as local author James Herriot's fictional Darrowby. History Archeological finds indicate there was a settlement in Thirsk aro ...

Thurles Thurles (; ''Durlas Éile'') is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the civil parish of the same name in the barony of Eliogarty and in the ecclesiastical parish of Thurles. The cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Arch ...

* Tipperary *

Tramore Tramore (; ) is a seaside town in County Waterford, on the southeast coast of Ireland. It has a population of 11,277 as per the 2022 census, the second largest town in the county. Overview Originally a small fishing village, the area saw rapi ...

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...

Wetherby Wetherby ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire and lies approximately from Leeds city centre, from ...

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a town and electoral ward in Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. In the 2021 census the civil parish had a populatio ...

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

Programming

The channel starts broadcasting before live racing every day. In the mornings Racing Replay and/or Irish Racing Replay is shown until one of Mark Your Card, Full SP or Luck on Sunday are broadcast, live racing from the UK and Ireland typically follows in the afternoon and evening. The programmes have been produced in High-definition at

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in west London, England. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on th ...

since 2012 and on location from the 61 racecourses. In late 2023 the production moved to Ealing Broadcast Centre Racing UK was the first dedicated horse racing channel to broadcast racing in HD when it launched its new service on 14 March 2016. * Live Racing * Racing Replay * Irish Racing Replay * Mark Your Card * This Racing Life * Luck On Sunday * The Road to Cheltenham * The Friday Club * The Full SP * My Racing Life

Presenters

* Angus McNae – Studio presenter and on-course reporter * Nick Lightfoot – Studio presenter and on-course reporter *

Nick Luck Nicholas Edward Francis Luck (born 28 June 1978) is an English racing broadcaster, who previously presented ''Channel 4 Racing'' on Channel 4. He is part of the NBC Breeders Cup team and is eight times Horserace Writers' & Photographers' Assoc ...

– Studio presenter and on-course reporter. Also worked for

Channel 4 Racing ''Channel 4 Racing'' is the name given to the horse racing coverage on the British television stations Channel 4 and More4. History The first transmission of racing on the channel was on 22 March 1984 from Doncaster, as it took over midweek cov ...

* Lydia Hislop – Studio presenter and on-course reporter. Also worked for

BBC Sport BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC, providing national sports coverage for BBC BBC Television, television, BBC Radio, radio and BBC Online, online. The BBC holds the television and radio UK broadcasting rights to several sports, broadc ...

Rishi Persad Rishi Persad (born 25 May 1973) is a British sports television presenter. Early life Persad grew up in the 1980s on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean a keen cricket and horse racing fan. His parents were Indian, his mother worked as a bank ...

– Studio presenter and on-course reporter. Also works for

and

ITV Racing ''ITV Racing'' is a programme produced by ITV Sport for races shown on ITV (ITV1 and STV) or ITV4 in the United Kingdom. The programme is referred to as ''Racing on STV'' in Northern and Central Scotland. In its previous incarnation, the show ...

Ruby Walsh Rupert "Ruby" Walsh (born 14 May 1979) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen. Widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt racing, National Hunt ...

– Occasional studio work and on-course reporter. (former jockey). Also works for

* Tom Stanley – Studio presenter and on-course reporter. * Gary O'Brien - On-course reporter. * Kevin O'Ryan - On-course reporter. *

Fran Berry Francis Martin Berry (born 2 January 1981) in County Kildare is a retired Irish jockey who competed principally in Flat racing. Berry's father, Frank Berry, was Irish jump racing champion jockey ten times, and saddled Fran's first winner on M ...

– On-course reporter (former jockey). * Niall Hannity – Studio presenter and on-course reporter (former jockey). * Rachel Casey – Studio presenter and on-course reporter. * Gordon Brown – On-course reporter. *

Martin Dwyer Martin Joseph Dwyer (born 28 June 1975 in Aintree, Liverpool, Merseyside) is a retired English jockey who competed in flat racing, winning the 2006 Epsom Derby on Sir Percy and the 2003 Epsom Oaks on Casual Look. Career Dwyer, who was born ...

– Occasional studio work and on-course reporter (jockey). *

George Baker (jockey) George Baker is a retired British Classic-winning jockey. Baker is the son of a farrier from Lambourn. After leaving school, in July 1999, he joined trainer Mark Usher and had his first winner at Wolverhampton on 4 December on Beauchamp Magic ...

- Occasional studio work and on-course reporter (former jockey). * Sam Turner - On-course reporter and tipster. * Dave Nevison - On-course reporter and tipster. * Chris Dixon - On-course reporter. * Martin Dixon - On-course reporter. * Mark Howard - On-course reporter.

References

External links

*
Racecourse Media GroupRacing TV
on

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Racing Uk Horse racing mass media Horse racing mass media in the United Kingdom Sports television channels in the United Kingdom Sports television in the United Kingdom Television channels and stations established in 2004