Boost for viewers with Brigadier Gerard evening to be broadcast live on ITV4

Britain's best evening meeting will this year be given a mainstream television platform for the first time after ITV revealed Sandown's Brigadier Gerard Stakes card will be broadcast on Thursday, May 24.

In an unexpected but welcome addition to its schedule, ITV4 will show four contests from Sandown, featuring the Matchbook-backed Brigadier Gerard Stakes and the fixture's other Group 3 highlight, the Henry II Stakes, in a programme that will run from 6.15pm to 8.30pm.

It has also been announced that due to blanket coverage of the royal wedding by ITV's main channel on May 19, Newbury's Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes and supporting races will switch to ITV4.

Racegoers enjoy the action on Brigadier Gerard night last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

There has historically been minimal free-to-air coverage of evening racing in Britain, although the BBC did televise a handful of cards from Ascot in the mid-1990s.

ITV racing editor Richard Willoughby said: "We'll be covering four races on what is arguably the country's premier evening meeting.

"This represents our desire to bring viewers the best of British racing and again shows our commitment to the sport.

"We're always looking at different dates and if this works well it might hopefully open up other new opportunities in the future."

In addition to the two Group races, ITV4 will also show the Heron Stakes and National Stakes, both Listed contests.

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