ONE BROADCASTING player reported to be watching developments at Setanta Sports carefully is specialist channel, Racing UK.

The channel, which covers leading British tracks such as Cheltenham, Aintree, Epsom and Newmarket, is available to viewers in Britain and Ireland on the Setanta platform.

Following the news that Setanta had lost the rights to Monday night English Premiership soccer to rival Sky, it was reported that Racing UK was concerned that it could lose subscribers should Setanta lose some of its customers as a result.

The pair are well into a 3½ year agreement, under which Racing UK is available on the Irish channel’s network. Setanta customers get the Racing UK and six other sports stations as part of a package.

The racing broadcaster will have to consider whether some of its customers will be willing to sign up to it without the other channels at what could work out to be a higher rate.

This could prove unattractive for Irish customers, many of whom get Racing UK’s “rival” At the Races as part of the basic NTL digital package. This covers all Irish racing as well as action from top British tracks, Doncaster and Ascot.

Channel Four broadcasts most of the key English meetings, including next month’s Cheltenham Festival, leaving Irish customers with less incentive to sign up to Racing UK if it is not part of a package offering other sports as well.