BskyB and Arena to cover racing

BskyB and Arena Leisure are planning to send a written query to the owners of UK 's 59 race courses in order to get TV broadcasting rights of the UK horse racing. These two companies in cooperation with Channel 4 (the UK TV channel) were operating under the Attheraces TV which currently didn't function because of disappointing revenues from its iTV operations, noticed Onlinecasinonews.com.

BskyB and Arena, which keep the Attheraces brand, will scramble in rivalry with the Horse Racing Channel. The last one has some advantages because the Horse Racing Channel would be appropriated by the race courses in common. It has the backing of eight courses now and, in addition, the company has expanded its work with the Racecourse Holdings Trust which controls 13 courses including Aintree, Newmarket , Cheltenham and Sandown Park .

Andrew Brown, head of the Horse Racing Channel group, described its widening policy, "This is an opportunity for racing to take control of its own media rights to ensure that the best interests of racing are served."

But BskyB are going to carve out their part as well. The company's executive said they had negotiated the race courses before and after the demise of Attheraces. BskyB and Arena also consider interactive betting with bookmakers to develop in near future.