Channel 4 Racing

So far under the four-year-horseracing media agreement, Channel 4 Racing has broadcast two Grand Nationals, Derbys, Royal Ascots and a wealth of race meetings as the sole terrestrial broadcaster for the sport. The yearly schedule takes in some 90 racedays and over 300 hours of flat and jump racing.

Channel 4’s early autumnal highlights take on an international element with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, October 5th delivering plenty of high-glamour and quality racing. Europe’s most prestigious one-and-a-half mile horserace with a 2014 enlarged purse to €5 million has repositioned the ‘Arc’ as the world’s richest turf race and the second-richest horse race behind the Dubai World Cup, which is also embedded within the Channel 4 Racing portfolio.

With just two months to go until Britain’s richest raceday – the QIPCO British Champions Day on Saturday October 18th – the 27 racedays series (all live on Channel 4) has provided the sport with many equine superstars to enjoy throughout the Flat Turf season. The climax to the series is staged at Ascot Racecourse with a £3.75 million total prize fund and is where top jockey / Channel 4 Racing presenter, Frankie Dettori, will be wanting to perform his infamous, celebratory flying dismount.

Jump Racing season returns to Channel 4 in early November with the final two months of the year taking-in the exciting Open three-day meeting from Cheltenham Racecourse, the Betfair Chase on November 22nd which delivers many Gold Cup insights, to the historic Hennessy Gold Cup (November 29th) and Aintree’s Becher Chase (December 6th) plus the Christmas highlight – the King George VI Chase from Kempton Park Racecourse on Boxing Day.

The start of 2015 remains firmly focused on jump racing with the first premier highlight being the iconic four-day Cheltenham Festival – horseracing’s Olympics – live on Channel 4 from 10th – 13th March. Presented by Clare Balding and Nick Luck the daily show starts with Festival Morning Line (8am) followed by afternoon racing that takes-in five daily contests, each with Championship status and concludes on Friday with the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Crabbie’s Grand National Festival runs from April 9th – 11th and for the last two year’s has successfully secured over 8.5 million viewers for the nation’s most popular four mile plus chase. Once again, the Channel 4 Racing team will deliver high impact sports programming across the three days supported by seasonal programming and a dedicated marketing campaign.

As the jump season draws to a close in late April, racing fans will have enjoyed 37 racedays devoted to the gallant sport and may have witnessed the world’s greatest jump jockey – AP McCoy – secure his 20th consecutive Champions title before we return our attention to the 2015 Flat Turf season.

Prod co: IMG