Channel 4 axes Arc blaming 'inflated media rights costs'

Viewers without access to At The Races or Racing UK are set to miss out on Postponed's attempt to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after Channel 4 took the decision to drop Europe's most prestigious prize.

As was the case in 2012, when the BBC axed the Arc in its final year of televising British racing, the sport's latest soon-to-be former broadcaster has opted to pass up on the French spectacular, while insisting a move that will disappoint fans was taken purely owing to costs.

"We are not going to be showing the Arc," a Channel 4 spokeswoman said yesterday. "As the race is this year being staged at Chantilly there were inflated media rights costs. Channel 4 therefore took the decision not to cover the race and to instead focus on British racing."