Screening sports: Race you!

It'll take more than the World Cup to pay for your big screen. Wesley Yin-Poole puts his money on racing.

Horse racing, previously considered by many publicans as a filler while they await another Premiership football clash, is making a late surge for the line. It has become the second most watched sport in the UK. And with the flat season upon us, licensees are now considering the "sport of kings" as a genuine punter-pulling attraction.

In the early nineties, when Sky bought the television rights to the FA Premiership, publicans began screening big games to attract the crowds and boost takings. But now they are finding that a comprehensive racing coverage can make an important contribution to trade when there are no big matches on the screen.

Horse racing, shown through the day, avoids competing with most major football fixtures and is starting to command a similar draw.

One specialist channel offering racing coverage is Racing UK, available on Sky channel 432. It shows non-stop racing coverage from around Britain every day and is seeing a healthy rise in subscriptions as licensees jump on the horse-driven bandwagon. Since its launch in May 2004 it has signed up some 1,300 outlets.

Racing UK covers more than 3,500 races a year, including big meetings like Glorious Goodwood, Cheltenham, Aintree and the Vodafone Derby, and the package includes free access to sister-channel Racing World which broadcasts races from the US including the Kentucky Derby.

The channel mixes races with interviews, feature previews and insight into horses' previous form, fronted by a range of presenters including Lydia Hislop and Nick Luck.

Subscribers receive free posters and drip mats to help promote their racing coverage and also get free membership of the Racing UK Club, which entitles them to five tickets to each of 30 Racing UK Club days per year at the country's top racecourses. The tickets can be used to reward loyal customers, boost staff morale or as competition prizes.

The Racing UK package can be added to any Sky package for £100 a month and can also be accessed through NTL and Telewest. For more information go to www.racinguk.tv or call 0870 351 8834.

Case study: Alison Rowley, the Waggon & Horses, Wakefield​

Alison subscribed to Racing UK for the Cheltenham Festival just over a year ago to combat a local bookies which was luring customers away from the bar. People who were watching races in the betting shop now watch it in the pub - and it's brought a definite increase in sales.

The Waggon & Horses shows racing every day now, says Alison. "It's definitely boosting our business. The same amount of people are coming in but they're sitting in the pub having a drink watching the race rather than going out to the bookies to see it."

And the channel doesn't only attract the stereotypical older male gambler. "During the week it's older men. But on a weekend when big meetings are on we have the racing on the big screen and we get men, women, all sorts in to watch it."

And racing has become even more important to the business following Leeds United's relegation to the Championship.

"We have Sky Sports but we don't have Premiership Plus," explains Alison. "We used to have it because a lot of customers are Leeds fans. But now they aren't in that league it isn't worth the money."

Despite the success the Waggon & Horses has had with the channel, football is still important to the pub, though, and Leeds are still the biggest draw. "We are usually really busy for Cheltenham," says Alison. "But if you compare it to a Leeds match it's nothing. And unless it's an important meeting like Cheltenham, any football match will bring in a bigger crowd."

Case study: Karen Loftus, Offa's Dyke Hotel, Chester​

Two years ago, after constant requests from her regulars, Karen Loftus subscribed to Racing UK. Now the pub has a steady number of customers during the day, gets even busier on weekends, and they're all in for the racing.

"We've got a group who go to a lot of race meetings," she explains. "They like to watch the races so we've got quite a big following for it.

"Racing UK is on most days from about 1pm and it usually goes off about 5.30pm. But now they've started late-night races.

"Our busiest times are Saturdays from 12 to 4pm. And for the big meetings like Chester we get even busier."

Karen says the channel attracts mainly middle-aged or older men. "It brings in about 30 of them," she says.

The Offa's Dyke has experienced a noticeable rise in takings as a result. "It's definitely increased my trade. We were quiet early on in the day when there was no football on and now these customers are here all the time."

But despite the popularity of racing, football still comes first. "To be fair, if there was a clash I'd have to show the football," Karen admits.