ITV To Broadcast Irish Action

ITV Racing will on Saturday broadcast five races from Ireland's jumps meeting at Thurles, filling the void in programming left by Newbury and Kelso with all British racing off through April. Ireland is the last major European racing nation still staging racing, amid strict restrictions.

The news provided a boost to bookmakers, with Ladbrokes's PR Director Simon Clare calling it “an oasis in the desert.”

“This is really good news from ITV Racing for all racing fans, bookmakers, and anyone who enjoys a flutter on a Saturday afternoon, as in the absence of any other major sports and football, or UK racing, this live broadcast of Thurles will be like an oasis in the desert,” he said. “These are unprecedented, worrying times, and the impact and seriousness goes way beyond the world of racing and betting, but the importance of keeping at least some of the show on the road through these dark times cannot be underestimated, to provide entertainment to many people and keep business ticking over. Thanks to the ITV cameras, I imagine turnover on this Thurles card will probably exceed anything we've taken on an Irish meeting for a very long time.”

Betfair's Barry Orr added: “It's a positive step for all concerned and once the Irish Government are fully behind racing continuation, then it is good for the industry as a whole.”