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William Hill urge BBC trust to intervene on planned cuts
Monday 22 December 2008
One of Britain's leading bookmakers has added to the furore over the swingeing cuts propsed by the BBC to its racing coverage by calling on Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC trust, to "intervene in this issue".
The corporation is planning to show only 14 days' racing in 2010 down from 29 this year. The plea to Lyons comes from Ralph Topping, chief executive at ­William Hill, and follows hard on from Tony McCoy's swipe at the BBC during its coverage of Ascot on Saturday.
In an interview with presenter Rishi Persad after Binocular's victory, McCoy said: "The best chance you'll have of seeing him [Binocular] on the BBC is on Top Gear. After that you'll be struggling."
Jump racing would be hardest hit by the reduced BBC coverage, with no racing at all shown for six months between October and April. In his letter, Topping says: "I am writing to you to raise my disquiet about the BBC's reported plans for its coverage of UK racing. As the BBC trust represents the interests of the licence fee-payer, I hope that you will feel able to intervene in this issue.
"I fully acknowledge that William Hill has a commercial interest in these plans. Terrestrial TV coverage increases the public's interest in racing and that has an impact for us as bookmakers. It is precisely because it is popular with a large number of your viewers who relish the chance of placing a bet and then watching their selections at home that the BBC should reconsider.
"The Corporation's coverage also encourages significant economic ­activity, whereby many companies sponsor race meetings and races and, indeed, it is one of the paramount considerations in the decision to sponsor."
While recognising the need for racing to be "viewer-friendly", Topping adds: "We appreciate that the BBC has to exercise choice over what sports it chooses to televise, but there is no doubt that it has a large and loyal following for racing and a long and proud tradition of covering the sport, which are set to be discarded."
While 11-8 favourite Kauto Star heads the 12 acceptors as expected for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, trainer Paul Nicholls also gave himself the option of running Denman over hurdles at Wincanton the same day.
Denman has been on the sidelines since his Gold Cup win over Kauto Star in March after he was found to be suffering from a fibrillating heart. "He's been entered and nothing more," said Nicholls' assistant Dan Skelton yesterday. "Paul has stated he is very happy with the horse."
Reports that Jeff Pearce was threatened with violence if his runner, Sabre Light, finished in the frame in a claiming race at Lingfield last week were dismissed as "complete and utter rubbish" by the ­Newmarket trainer yesterday.
The British Horseracing Authority will hold an investigation into suspicious betting patterns surrounding the race, in which Sabre Light finished fifth after drifting from 11-4 to 7-2. "I hope they do find out who was laying the horse," said Pearce. "I wouldn't even know how to use a betting exchange." Pearce claims he made his views clear at a recent seminar for trainers regarding inside information. "I told everyone what would cure this," he says. "Get rid of Betfair."
Ron Cox's tip of the day
King's Majesty 2.20 Kempton
This six-year-old has had several trainers in his time, but he has certainly settled in well with Alex Hales since he was bought out of a claimer at Wolverhampton in October. King's Majesty promptly won two handicap hurdles for his new connections and has since run well in defeat. If he can show the same enthusiasm back on the Flat he should go well from his current mark. |
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发表于 2008-12-26 22:19
