New TV channels set for head-to-head launch

The Horse Racing Channel could hit the screens next month at about the same time as its rival, the new At The Races service.

An announcement of a start date for THRC is imminent and a spokesman said yesterday: “It will be soon, but it’s hard to say exactly when at this stage. We are putting all the ducks in a row.”

The 27 British tracks already signed to THRC include those owned by Racecourse Holdings Trust – Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom, Haydock, Kempton, Newmarket, Sandown and six others – and account for 48 per cent of the fixture list.

At The Races announced yesterday that it would be ready to return to the screens in June, with speculation that it could even be ready by the start of Royal Ascot on the 15.

The spokesperson for THRC went on: “We hope to be on the screens around then.

“The Horse Racing Channel has made real progress, having reached a critical mass of 27 racecourses and a good spread of fixtures representing 52% of the racecourse betting turnover.

“These figures ensure the viability of the channel and provide the foundation for us to be able to launch the channel sooner rather than later – and an announcement is imminent.”