'It's brilliant' - racecourse manager comes out in defence of new €47 million-a-year media rights deal

The five tracks that rejected the €47 million-a-year media rights contract for Irish racing have sought government intervention to aid their cause, but a manager of other so-called smaller racecourses has hailed the five-year deal "a brilliant offer".

While United Irish Racecourses (UIR), which comprises Kilbeggan, Limerick, Roscommon, Sligo and Thurles, has written to Charlie McConalogue, the minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, asking him to ensure small racecourses receive a fairer share of the pie, Eddie Scally, manager of both Gowran Park and Wexford, insists the performance-based system which decides revenue for the tracks is the fairest way of doing things. 

Scally says he cannot understand why UIR voted against the renewed deal being offered by Sports Information Services (SIS) and Racecourse Media Group (RMG), stating on Wednesday: "It's a brilliant deal and one which I was happy to sign off on for both Gowran Park and Wexford. It's customer-driven and down to performance. I can't understand how anybody can't see that each track being rewarded for their performance is the fairest way of doing things.