Ascot Moving to RUK

[RIO2014]

BY LEE MOTTERSHEAD 4:20PM 14 DEC 2012 AT THE RACES is to lose the jewel in the channel's crown after Ascot announced on Friday afternoon that Racing UK will take over coverage of the track from the 2014 royal meeting. In what is undoubtedly an enormous blow to ATR, Ascot has decided that joining the vast majority of Britain's major racecourses on RUK will prove best both for the track itself and British racing. The Racing Post revealed last month that a choice between the two channels was "on a knife edge". The verdict has come down in favour of Racecourse Media Group-owned RUK, which also snatched Exeter, Kelso and Perth from ATR earlier this year. The partly Sky-owned ATR - which has exclusive access to Irish racing - will also be missing Folkestone and Hereford after they close at the end of the year. In a statement, Ascot chief executive Charles Barnett said: "After careful consideration we have decided to extend our relationship with RMG, with whom we recently negotiated the exclusive terrestrial television contract with Channel 4. "We have also partnered with the RMG courses since 2007 in the provision of our pictures to betting shops through Turf TV. "We have had an excellent and productive relationship with At The Races since 2004 and are most grateful for all they have done for us. "Enabling a large percentage of the best of British racing to be promoted by one entity and showcased through one satellite broadcaster mirrors the thinking behind the Channel 4 deal, and it should benefit initiatives like the QIPCO British Champions Series." RMG chief executive Richard FitzGerald added: "We are delighted to welcome Ascot to the RMG family. The racecourse's tremendous racing and global reputation is a natural fit alongside the quality output from our other 33 racecourses. "We look forward to working closely with Johnny Weatherby, Charles Barnett and their team in further enhancing media revenues for the course. "We aim to deliver the highest production and presentation values worthy of one of the best racecourses in the world which will only further add to the Racing UK viewer's experience. "As Racing UK is 100 per cent owned by our shareholder racecourses, all profits are reinvested in the sport. The agreement will benefit Ascot, RMG's racecourses, the racing community and the sport as a whole. "We are relishing the opportunity of working together to promote the very best of what British racing has to offer." :clap

[Trotter]

Re: Ascot Moving to RUK I'm pleased in the sense that I think RUK are vastly superior to ATR in their racing coverage, but obviously it's a big blow for everyone who doesn't want to or can't afford to stump up for RUK One of my main gripes with ATR is that they cover too much racing so they're forever having split screens, no time between races for paddock or betting, no time after races to put the result on screen Paradoxically I might enjoy watching it more as they lose more and more tracks