D-day for rebel tracks as they get final chance to accept €47 million media rights deal

Wednesday is D-day for the five Irish tracks which rejected the new five-year RMG/SIS media rights deal when they will be offered another chance to sign up.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) will hold final crunch talks with the five members of the United Irish Racecourses (UIR) in an attempt to get them to change their mind about the €47 million-a-year offer. 

It is believed to be the final chance for Limerick, Kilbeggan, Thurles, Sligo and Roscommon to join the other 21 tracks which accepted the offer last month and will have their action shown live on Racing TV. 

AIR chief executive Paul Hensey said it was now or never for the five tracks over the new deal. He said: "Wednesday will be an opportunity to run through the deal with those tracks and explain what it means to them if they stay out of the deal. We will go through everything and give them time to think about what they would like to do. We have to move on one way or the other. We need a definite yes or no."

After rejecting the deal first time around, UIR was criticised by HRI chief executive Suzanne Eade, who spoke of her disappointment the 26 tracks were not staying united and keeping sight of the bigger picture. Eade said this month there was still time for the five racecourses to join the rest and "protect their futures".

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