ITV To Replace Channel 4 As Horse Racing Broadcaster From 2017

TV coverage of horse racing "is set for a major change next year with ITV to replace Channel 4 as the free-to-air broadcaster," according to Frank Keogh of the BBC. ITV "won rights to cover fixtures including the Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, the Derby and Royal Ascot, from January 2017." It "will broadcast a minimum of 34 days annually on the main ITV channel, with another 60 shown on ITV 4." Reports "suggest the four-year deal is worth" £30M ($44.3M). The big Cheltenham, National, Derby, Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and York Ebor meetings "will all be shown on the main ITV channel," along with Doncaster's St. Leger and British Champions Day at Ascot. However, "it has yet to be revealed which channel will broadcast other meetings, including the Guineas Festival at Newmarket, which features two Classics" (BBC, 1/2).