BBC Radio 4’s Today programme has confirmed it will no longer air its daily racing tips, a big part of the show that has been airing for the last 40 years.
Presenter Amol Rajan announced the news on air this morning (24th June), telling listeners that the programme has decided to “break tradition of having racing tips every day of the year”, and will instead “reserve the tips for the biggest days in the racing calendar”.
He continued: “We will very much continue to cover horse racing, as we do so many other sports, not least through interviews with leading lights in the racing world.
“And we will sometimes continue to broadcast from the big-ticket events like the Grand National festival or Cheltenham Gold Cup week.”
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Former BBC correspondent Cornelius Lysaght said the the removal of the daily tips was a “pity”, with others sharing similar opinions, claiming it was “a real shame”.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Lysaght wrote: “A pity @BBCRadio4 @BBCr4today dropping (without real explanation) the tips that have been enjoyable part of prog since 1977; say that just as much (maybe more) as a fan of #Today than #horseracing; the tips (that continue on big days) provided smiles & priceless moments of levity.”
Following the BBC’s decision, a spokesperson for the British Horseracing Authority said (via Racing Post): “Racing is the second-best attended sport in Britain and enjoys considerable media coverage as a result.
“Through ITV Racing, the sport is live on free-to-air television on almost 120 days, as well as enjoying further coverage from two dedicated racing channels in Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV.
“From Royal Ascot to the Derby, Cheltenham to the Grand National, British racing is internationally unrivalled in its prestige and tradition.
“It is why British racing is broadcast around the world, and the consistently high-quality coverage of our sport reflects its continuing importance as a cornerstone of our national sporting culture and heritage.”
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