Live Irish racing is back on digital TV

Live televised coverage of Irish racing returns tomorrow after Horse Racing Ireland successfully concluded a deal with the digital channel Attheraces.

Racing's ruling body were putting the finishing touches to a deal yesterday but pictures of racing here will be available again for the first time since January of 2003. "Television coverage has been a key part of our current five-year plan. Negotiations have been on-going for a long time but we felt it was worth waiting to get the right deal," said the HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh.

"The two key elements were proper payment to the tracks and extensive coverage. In the past we had interest from groups who wanted to cherry-pick the best races from here. That didn't interest us," he added.

The new Attheraces channel, which is owned by Sky and Arena Leisure, started yesterday and has rights to 26 tracks in Britain. It is available on channel 415 on Sky Digital and Kavanagh said yesterday the service will continue to be subscription free.

"It will be free to air and Irish racing is guaranteed for 250 days of the year," said Kavanagh who agreed to a short-term deal yesterday pending the loose ends of the deal being tied up.

There is extensive Irish action tomorrow with the most valuable race being the €20,000 handicap hurdle at Cork. The ex-Michael Hourigan-trained Willie The Shoe gets a chance to win a second time for Jessica Harrington and this one's last run, when favourite at Killarney, can be ignored as he finished lame.

Racing opens at the southern track with an interesting contest in the mile and a quarter maiden. Aidan O'Brien runs the Sadler's Wells horse Ovation who shaped well on his only start as a juvenile when runner-up to Amarula Ridge at the Curragh.

Against him, however, is Pulitser who has proved expensive to follow but who looks worth another chance especially with Dermot Weld's stable jockey Pat Smullen electing to go to Cork rather than Roscommon.

One interesting booking at Cork is jump rider Timmy Murphy who is on Step Back in the five-furlong handicap. Step Back is a six times distance winner and will surely be better for the run behind Christavelli at Naas on Monday.

At Roscommon, Ruby Walsh is on Dalian Dawn, runner-up to Always at Punchestown, and the pair should be too good for Cooldine Prince and Mount Kimble in the novice chase.