Owners and Arc exchange barbs in prize-money dispute

A furious row has erupted over prize-money after owners accused Arena Racing Company (Arc) of making significant profits at its four all-weather tracks, a claim dismissed as "wholly inaccurate" by the racecourse group.

The war of words was sparked by the publication of an analysis of media rights income at Arc's four all-weather courses – Lingfield, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton – by Mark Kershaw, a former racecourse executive.

His study, published by ownership pressure group Keep Owners In Racing (KOIR), claimed Arc received at least £23.66m in media rights income from 297 fixtures at the four tracks from June to May, while only putting a fraction of that income back into prize-money.