Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) are pleased to announce that Irish racing will be back on television screens this Sunday 13th June when the new At The Races (ATR) channel will show coverage from the two fixtures at Cork and Roscommon.

HRI and AIR have completed a short-term contract to make Irish racing available to At The Races for the next two weeks pending finalisation of a longer-term agreement. The terms of such a deal, which will run to December 2008, have been agreed and the contract is currently being finalised with solicitors. As part of the deal, ATR will cover at least one fixture for each day that there is racing in Ireland (a minimum of 250 Irish meetings per year).

Jerry Desmond, Chairman of both the HRI Media Rights Committee and the Association of Irish Racecourses, stated: ‘This deal fulfils HRI’s commitment within its Strategic Plan to ensure the return of Irish racing onto an appropriate satellite channel. The AIR has enjoyed a long and positive relationship with SIS, who have held racecourses’ direct to home broadcasting rights since the start of the year and who will be producing the Irish product for At The Races. Irish racing is delighted to be associated with an experienced broadcaster such as BSkyB, which will undoubtedly bring long-term promotional benefits to Irish racing.’

For further information contact:

Brian Kavanagh, HRI Chief Executive, Mob: 087 2361144

Paddy Walsh, AIR Chief Executive, Mob: 087 2414482