UK racecourses | Horse Racing Free Tips

UK Racecourses To Plant Over 700 Trees For Queen’s Green Canopy

British racecourses are doing their part in the Queen's Green Canopy initiative with the goal of planting more than 700 trees by the end of 2022.

The Queen's Green Canopy, which marks her Platinum Jubilee, invites people from across the UK to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. A total of 23 British racecourses have confirmed their participation, with the official tree-planting season taking place between October and March, and then beginning again in October through to the end of the Jubilee year.

Ascot Racecourse and the Crown Estate jointly planted 70 oak trees adjacent to the Royal Procession route along Duke's Lane in Windsor Great Park on Tuesday. Each tree will be dedicated to one of 70 local schools on May 10th, one for each year of Her Majesty's reign.

Her Majesty's Representative and Chairman at Ascot, Sir Francis Brooke, Bt, said of the project and the racing industry's contribution, “It is fantastic that the racing family has come together in such numbers to be part of this very worthwhile initiative. The last of our 70 trees were planted this morning, at a location in Windsor Great Park on the route of the Royal Procession. We are much looking forward to welcoming the schools in May for what will be a very special day.”

The Jockey Club will be planting more than 500 trees this year as part of the project across their 15 racecourses and three training grounds. Cheltenham, Epsom Downs, Aintree and Sandown Park are amongst the courses to be planting trees to commemorate the event across The Jockey Club's sites, who have been working with local experts to ensure the trees to be planted are both local and sustainable with the individual climates of each racecourse or location.

The Jockey Club's Chief Executive, Nevin Truesdale said, “We are thrilled to be playing our part in The Queen's Green Canopy initiative to mark the Platinum Jubilee of our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen.

“We will be planting trees right across our racecourses and training grounds and our teams have been working hard to ensure the projects we are undertaking will enhance their surroundings for years to come.

“In doing so we hope they will reflect the extraordinary and long-lasting contribution The Queen has made to our sport and the country more widely.”

The post UK Racecourses To Plant Over 700 Trees For Queen’s Green Canopy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

RMG Renews Media Rights Agreement With British Courses

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has agreed to five-year licence extensions for audio-visual and data rights for its British racecourses, the company announced on Thursday. A total of 35 UK racecourses have their LBO rights renewed, and 33 UK racecourses were renewed for all other aspects of their media rights, including streaming (watch & bet), direct to home (DTH), terrestrial TV and international betting and non-betting through Dec. 31, 2028.

Owned in its entirety by racecourse shareholders, RMG pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses, and as a result, it is the biggest single funder of British horseracing. In RMG's portfolio are events like the Randox Grand National Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Cazoo Derby Festival, Qatar Sussex S. and the Juddmonte International S., all of which will remain there until at least 2029. In addition, RMG added all 26 Irish racecourses to its coverage in 2019, which are brodcast live on RMG's channel, Racing TV. For a full list of courses in RMG's portfolio, please visit www.racecoursemediagroup.com.

Roger Lewis, Chairman of RMG, said, “This is a pivotal moment for British racing. The RMG Racecourses, with a unity of purpose, have created business clarity and confidence for years to come. The RMG Board pays particular tribute to the outstanding leadership of the RMG CEO, Martin Stevenson, who together with his great team of RMG executives navigated this complex and detailed process with rigour, patience and clear focus.”

Added Martin Stevenson, CEO of RMG, “It is a matter of great pride that racecourses have placed their rights in RMG's hands again. RMG has a superb team, who, from the production to the commercial offices, are committed to ensuring first-class output and long-term sustainable growth for our racecourses.

“This will be achieved by continuing to create innovative and different ways of bringing the sport to life and showcasing it to our broad range of audiences. This is also made possible by our much-valued media, technical, broadcast, commercial and bookmaking partners, and, of course, the owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and stable staff. We look forward to continuing to work with Newbury on the remaining period of their term until 2024 and we wish them well thereafter.”

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, which runs 15 UK racecourses, said, “RMG has consistently delivered significant value from media and data rights over a 17-year period and unlocked revenue streams in the betting space far more than any other sport. More recently, the income RMG has delivered to all its shareholder racecourses has been vital through the very difficult pandemic period without spectators and other on-course revenues.”

The post RMG Renews Media Rights Agreement With British Courses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Saliva Testing Trial Under Way at UK Racecourses

A saliva testing trial, a screening method for cocaine and some other banned substances, is now under way at UK racecourses, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Wednesday.

Utilising oral swabs, the testing method results are provided near-instantly indicating whether substances are present in a rider's system above existing thresholds. If the trial is successful, British racing will become the first major sport in Britain to utilise on-the-day screening for banned substances through oral swabs. If a jockey does not test negative during the trial, they would be stood down from riding that day, which brings with it added benefits in safeguarding human and equine welfare on raceday.

At this time, all jockeys have tested negative-at Kempton on Monday and Lingfield on Tuesday. The pilot will continue for a two-month period. Saliva testing is highly cost effective and, if the pilot is successful, it is likely that there would be an increase in raceday testing, which would be further supported by an increased budget for more testing.

Brant Dunshea, Chief Regulatory Officer for the BHA, said, “Saliva testing is a progressive next step for our testing and surveillance of prohibited substances. In particular, the fact that it provides near-instant results means that we are now able to screen for the substance on the day of race.

“The fact that it is a more cost-effective methodology will also allow us to significantly ramp up our testing capacity–something that we are supporting further through the allocation of an enhanced testing budget. This should serve to act both as a deterrent to those who might consider using prohibited substances and provide reassurance to those who are competing on raceday.

“We are grateful to the Professional Jockeys Association for working alongside us in developing this methodology. It is important that it is assessed through a substantive trial period before we commit to it in the longer term, but this trial period is the final step in what has been an extensive process.”

“We see the introduction of saliva testing as a tremendously important development, and it is supported by our members,” said Paul Struthers, Chief Executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, who assisted with the development of the pilot.

“An effective deterrent against the use of prohibited substances is an essential piece of the jigsaw in terms of keeping our jockeys healthy and safe. The increased testing which this methodology will allow, alongside the ability for on-the-day screening, represents a significant step towards that ambition.”

The post Saliva Testing Trial Under Way at UK Racecourses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post