'The mood in the room was very positive' - Irish media rights deal moves a step closer

Positive and transparent is how various sources have described the mood in the Irish media rights room following crunch talks with racecourses on Tuesday.

There has been significant turbulence since the announcement that Racecourse Media Group (RMG) and SIS had been identified as preferred bidders for Irish racing's latest five-year media rights contract, with a handful of tracks forming a group called United Irish Racecourses (UIR) and lobbying for a larger slice of the revenue and objecting to Horse Racing Ireland's share of the takings. 

UIR, which comprises Kilbeggan, Limerick, Thurles, Sligo and Roscommon, has issued a statement to the Racing Post indicating it will digest the details of proposals provided at a meeting convened by the Association of Irish Racecourses and HRI's media rights committee before deciding its next step.