Row over live coverage

A multi million pound deal which will see Irish racing televised live in the shops of the Paddy Power bookmaking chain has been labelled "a disgrace" by other bookmakers.

Yesterday's announcement that Paddy Power will pay the Association Of Irish Racecourses approximately £1 million a year for live pictures, starting at Listowel on September 21st, provoked a furious reaction.

The National Bookmakers Association called an emergency meeting, with spokesman Francis Hyland saying: "This announcement has caused consternation. We had no inkling of this at all. It's a total bombshell and there is a feeling of dismay among our members."

Brian Graham, of the Sean Graham organisation, was very angry at the deal and said: "It's a disgrace, typical of the whole Irish system. Why wasn't this made open to everybody instead of in this underhand way. I can't understand who will benefit except for Paddy Power. Irish racing certainly won't. It will have a huge effect on the on-course market - no one will go racing."

However, Paddy Power spokesman Stewart Kenny and Gerry Desmond, chairman of AIR, were quick to defend the deal which they said would provide live coverage of Irish racing on all Irish race days throughout the Powers network of 108 shops.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ireland's 27 racetracks will receive £1 million this year from Powers, with approximately 185 meetings being covered. Powers say that they will make an investment of £1.6 million per annum to make them the first bookmaker chain in these islands to independently provide television coverage of Irish racing. It was stressed that this is not an exclusive arrangement and other bookmakers could have pictures of Irish racing if they so wish.

"We hope eventually the whole betting industry will sit down and arrange that we take one set of pictures, but I think that today's events will answer the critics who say that off course bookmakers put nothing back into the game. Satellite Information Services and the Irish Horseracing Authority have been talking about this but it's an independent organisation that has delivered," said Stewart Kenny.

He added that he felt the IHA would welcome any move that would give racing a cash injection and extra coverage and that this development could lead to an Irish version of SIS in time. "Long-term this will increase betting on Irish racing, and make it more relevant to Irish punters," Kenny said before estimating the current betting on home racing at £45 million, just nine per cent of betting shop turnover. That is not a universal view, however. "If SIS had been launched with, for instance, Ladbrokes having the pictures 10 days ahead of Corals, it wouldn't have been allowed. It's very unfair because the rest of us have no chance to get organised in time for the Listowel meeting. It could take weeks to get satellite dishes on to the shops. Nobody knew anything about this and I am very disappointed with the AIR," said Brian Graham.

Gerry Desmond rejected the criticism and commented: "I think it's unfair. The association has been trying for years to get the offices in Ireland to take pictures of Irish racing through SIS, but when we spoke to SIS they said their Irish clients told them there was no demand for Irish pictures in the Irish shops. I think this developement gives the lie to that.

"Why weren't they banging on our door before this or banging on the door of SIS. The important thing is that this deal with Paddy Power is not exclusive and all they have to do is give us a call and we will talk."

Stewart Kenny also hit out at the critics. "This is probably the biggest injection of cash into racing from outside Government and I don't think that this will affect attendances. Galway is televised and the crowds keep growing. So is Leopardstown at Christmas. I think television actually advertises racing." Other bookmakers were more neutral in their view of yesterday's announcement.

Ladbrokes spokesman Joe Kinsella said: "We would be totally supportive of a move to better the coverage of Irish racing, which is a very important product. We welcome the principle of increased coverage but wouldn't want to see pictures denied to any opposition."

A spokesperson for the Irish Horseracing Authority said: "Exposure and coverage is good for Irish racing and the IHA welcomes this move." Negotiations between Paddy Power and the AIR began in earnest three weeks ago. The pictures supplied will mainly be from each track's close-circuit coverage, although one camera will be added by Powers to increase the quality of the coverage. "There have been a lot of technical problems to consider but now we can go ahead," declared Stewart Kenny yesterday.

Michael Kinane has been booked to partner the Epsom Derby winner, High-Rise, in next month's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. He takes over from Olivier Peslier, who is expected to ride one of Andre Fabre's runners in the big race.