Sorbiesharry is the last attheraces UK winner

Sorbiesharry made his own bit of unfortunate history when winning the last race at Wolverhampton today.

His half-length success over Jade Star in the Bet Direct On Sky Active Handicap marked the closure of Attheraces, the popular dedicated racing channel set up two years ago in a deal covering 49 of Britain’s racecourses.

Mike Cattermole and fellow presenters Zoe Bird, Angus McNae and Matt Doyle said farewell after the 4.50pm race, which was called home by Derek Thompson.

Commenting on the final broadcast, British Horseracing Board chief executive Greg Nichols said: “Attheraces has been of significant benefit to our sport, and has played an invaluable role in bringing British racing to new and diverse audiences.

“It has captured all the characteristics of the sport, its passion, its drama and unique appeal expertly, and the talented staff on-screen and behind the scenes of the channel have good reason to look back on their achievements with pride.

“They have provided an excellent service and a great deal of entertainment to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

“Attheraces has contributed to record levels of both betting turnover and attendances on British racecourses and the current boom in the general popularity of racing, and for that reason it is unfortunate to see it go off the air.

“However, we anticipate that British racing will be back on our screens in the form of a dedicated channel in the immediate future.”

BHB communications director Alan Delmonte added: “This (a new channel) can only be an aspiration at this stage, but we will be working with all parties to try as soon as possible to get a new and viable racing channel up and running.”

Speculation has been rife that ITV are about to make a bid for the rights to Cheltenham and the Grand National, although it is believed that the channel would only be interested in covering the National Hunt Festival and would be unlikely to want the build-up meetings.

Both Cheltenham and Aintree are in the ownership of Racecourse Holdings Trust (RHT), whose board met today but were non-committal about any developments.

A statement said: “RHT is currently examining the range of options available for the future terrestrial coverage of racing. Constructive dialogue with interested parties is ongoing and a formal announcement will be made once these negotiations have been concluded.

“This is not expected to be for a number of weeks.”

The next meeting to be televised in Britain will be Aintree, which begins on Thursday and has BBC coverage in the run-up to Saturday’s Martell Cognac Grand National.

Five races will be broadcast on both Thursday and Friday.