Chelmsford to continue international partnership with ATR despite switch to RTV

At The Races is to continue to deliver Chelmsford's simulcast and wagering rights in international pool betting markets despite the track switching to rival Racing TV for domestic viewers from January 1.

It was announced earlier this year that, along with Irish coverage, Chelmsford would be switching to RTV as part of the media rights deal between the latter's parent company Racecourse Media Group and SIS.

At the time Chelmsford's ultimate owner Fred Done said he would have preferred to stay with ATR, which is due to relaunch as Sky Sports Racing in the new year.

However, in a letter to international customers seen by the Racing Post, ATR and Chelmsford's immediate owner and operator Tote Media Limited announced that ATR would still represent Chelmsford's international simulcast and wagering rights in tote markets around the world, including Australia, the United States, Turkey and France.

ATR chief executive Matthew Imi said: "We're delighted to be extending our long-standing partnership with Chelmsford City racecourse.

"The racecourse goes from strength to strength, hosting 55 fixtures and some of the UK’s best all-weather racing action as well as offering certainly some of the best prize-money.

"We know from our existing business that these are fixtures with considerable appeal in the international marketplace."

Tote Media Limited's chief executive Phil Siers said ATR had been "an excellent broadcast and media rights partner" since Chelmsford was launched in 2015.

He added: "We are sorry that we are unable to join the new Sky Sports Racing channel, at least for now, but we are very pleased to be able to continue our relationship through the international rights exploitation side of the business."

British and Irish racing had been distributed to overseas betting operators through GBI Racing – a joint venture between ATR and what is now RTV – but that project will cease to operate at the end of this year after RMG walked away from the venture to strike a new deal with SIS.

SIS will continue to hold Chelmsford's rights selling to international fixed-odds operators.

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