Sky Sports Racing Launches on New Year’s Day

What is Sky Sports Racing?

Potentially the dawn of a new era in racing, the 1st of January 2019 sees the launch of Sky Sports Racing. Replacing At The Races, it continues the Sky Sports’ trend of moving all its sports into the “Sky Sports” family, joining prestigious channels such as Sky Sports Premier League at a new location in the TV planner.

What channel is Sky Sports Racing on?

Channel 415 on Sky
Channel 418 on Virgin Ireland
Channel 535 on Virgin

Unlike on Sky, the channel is remaining on the same number for Virgin, separate to the Sky Sports family of sports.

How do I get Sky Sports Racing?

If you previously received At The Races, you will still receive Sky Sports Racing on your TV. This is the case on both Sky TV and Virgin TV.

Sky Sports Racing will be available on NOW TV and Sky Go from the 8th of January 2019.

Is Sky Sports Racing in High Definition?

According to all press releases, Sky Sports Racing will be available in HD – a feature which was never available on At The Races.

Sky Sports Racing launched in HD for Sky customers on the 1st January, but does not seem to yet be available in HD for Virgin customers.

Why have we not got Sky Sports Racing in HD this morning.

— andrew patey (@dubawimissile) January 1, 2019

Calling Sky users- Is your Sky Sports Racing actually in HD? It’s definitely not on @virginmedia on channel 535.

— Steve Mullington (@mulldog) January 1, 2019

Which presenters are on Sky Sports Racing?

There are a number of familiar names but also some new faces:

Alex Hammond
Freddy Tylicki
Josh Apiafi
Jamie Lynch
Gina Bryce
Kevin Blake
Matt Chapman
Mick Fitzgerald
Luke Harvey
Hayley Moore
Jason Weaver

What tracks does Sky Sports Racing cover?

The full list of tracks covered by Sky Sports Racing is:

Ascot
Bangor-On-Dee
Bath
Brighton
Chepstow
Chester
Doncaster
Fakenham
Ffos Las
Fontwell
Hereford
Hexham
Lingfield Park
Newcastle
Newton Abbot
Plumpton
Ripon
Sedgefield
Southwell
Towcester
Uttoxeter
Windsor
Wolverhampton
Worcester
Yarmouth

Does Sky Sports Racing cover international racing?

Unfortunately, the move to Sky Sports Racing from At The Races also coincided with Racing TV picking up the rights to all Irish racing. That means that if you want to watch racing from Ireland, you will now need a subscription to Racing TV.

However, Sky Sports Racing has signed a 3 year deal to broadcast French racing. This includes 27 Group One Flat races such as the Prix l’Arc de Triomphe. It also covers some of the biggest “trotting” races which have rarely been shown on TV in the UK before.

It also retains its rights to show top class racing from other jurisdictions including:

Hong Kong
Australia (including the Melbourne Cup)
USA (including the US Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup)

What shows will be on Sky Sports Racing?

The full list of shows is yet to be fully confirmed and is sure to be subject to changes as the schedule is perfected. The shows which have been confirmed so far are: