Talking Horses: ITV's new three-year deal plus tips for Tuesday racing

ITV will continue to be the terrestrial home of horse racing under the terms of a new contract which is expected to be signed this week. An ITV board meeting will, it is anticipated, bring an end to a process that became much more fraught and drawn-out than seemed possible, given that both sides have every reason to be pleased with their association since an initial four-year deal began in January 2017.

If rubber-stamped, the contract will mean the sport can continue to count on between 90 and 100 days of coverage per year, until at least the end of 2023, which will underpin its standing in the competitive sports environment. The Guardian understands ITV will pay more for its rights than under the previous contract, though the sum involved would pale into insignificance compared to the sums being lost to the sport due to the coronavirus crisis. As one insider put it: “Even £30m wouldn’t scratch the sides at the moment.”

The parties involved declined to comment again on Monday, with a formal press release still in the works, but it is understood that there has been a smoothing-over of the problems with the negotiations which have made headlines from time to time. The sport’s most important racedays will continue to appear on the main channel and will not be consigned en masse to ITV4, as was suggested at one stage.

The widespread view is that ITV has done well with its return to the sport, winning a Bafta for its coverage of the 2017 Grand National and reviving viewing figures. In that context, it was a surprise that talks about an extension have taken so long to reach a conclusion, with expectation of a new deal having been high at the start of 2019.

Racing officials, slightly taken aback by ITV’s hard-nosed, commercial-minded approach to the talks, insist there is “no bad blood” now that the winning post is in sight.

A nine-race card at Yarmouth on Monday was cut short after three races when an inspection of the course by jockeys deemed it was not safe to continue. The inspection was prompted by a fall in the closing stages of the third race by Lord Chapelfield, who suffered fatal injuries while his jockey, Gabriele Malune, was later discharged from hospital seemingly uninjured.

Jockeys found a hole near the spot where Lord Chapelfield fell, but could not determine whether it had caused the fall or resulted from it. However, P J McDonald told Sky Sports Racing: “We found more holes and inconsistent ground where the turf was moving. It is not safe to race over and we had to do the right thing and call racing off.”

But the clerk of the course, Richard Aldous, defended his track, saying: “We have had eight meetings on it and the ground has been no different. We have walked it every day and would have found anything if it was there.” He hopes an inspection by the British Horseracing Authority will result in the track being cleared to race again on Friday.

Yarmouth’s home straight was dug up and relayed six years ago to eliminate the ridges for which it had become notorious and there were initial problems at the end of 2015 with patches of ground described as false by jockeys.

Tuesday’s best bets

We have a short-priced nap in Ventura Rascal (3.30), down to 11-10 for a Beverley handicap after the withdrawal of a key rival. From the hot yard of Kevin Ryan, he finished strongly to get off the mark last time and 4lb extra should not stop him with a bit of extra distance to help.

Theres been some support at the end of the card for an interesting handicap debutant, Despoina (5.35), who made an encouraging start for Brian Ellison last time until getting tired on her reappearance. She’s 6-1.

At Lingfield, Hollie Doyle gets her first rides for John Gosden, a result of her new retainer with the owner Imad Al Sagar. But if she has a winner there, I think it might be Atletico (5.10), who has shortened to 13-2. The veteran hasn’t scored for three years but has been doing some damage to the woodwork of late.

Rebel Leader (5.30) looks the pick of the Southwell jumps card at 4-1. He’s a points winner making his chase debut in a handicap after a small number of starts over hurdles.