Channel 4 Racing had some good news to report on Tuesday about its viewing figures for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, in which Treve became the first horse for more than 35 years to win the race twice. The programme, which has been beset by bad news stories about its ratings, recorded a significant year-on-year increase according to staff, who said there had been a trend of improving audiences since the summer.
Sunday’s broadcast from Longchamp had a peak viewership of 718,000 according to Hannah Walker, a spokesperson for Channel 4 Racing. That, she said, reflected a 17% increase on last year’s 612,000 while the three-hour programme achieved an average audience of 360,000, up 6% on 2013. She also noted that the key demographic of 16- to 34-year-olds were noted as making up 12% of those watching this time, compared with 5% last year.
“Treve winning gave racing another great story and we’re delighted that it attracted a strong audience,” Walker said. “Over the last two months Channel 4 Racing has broadcast 17 racedays, taking in 14 racecourses, and has consistently seen year-on-year audience gains.” Specifically she said that six of the last seven Saturday afternoon shows had returned an increased average audience figure.
The Morning Line, Channel 4’s Saturday preview show, recorded an almost identical figure last weekend to the same day last year. The broadcaster hopes for a strong audience this Saturday morning, when part of the programme will come live from Coolmore stud in Ireland, home to Galileo and other big-name stallions.
The Irish Turf Club has yet to issue charges against Pat Hughes, the trainer who was convicted in an Irish criminal court last week of possessing anabolic steroids and other banned substances, but Denis Egan, chief executive of the club, said that the wheels were in motion. “The matter will go to the Referrals Committee for them to consider if there have been any rule breaches,” Egan said.
That hearing is expected to take place in the next four weeks, possibly even before the 23 October court hearing involving another Irish trainer, Philip Fenton, who is accused of similar offences and is expected to defend himself against them.
While Egan refused to speculate on the extent of the censure Hughes faces, it would be shocking if the trainer were allowed to retain his licence in such circumstances. In theory he could still have runners up to the point when the Turf Club acts against him but he has no current entries, has not had a runner since May and his last winner was 17 months ago. Fenton is more active and had two winners last month.
Asked about Hughes, Robin Mounsey, a spokesman for the British Horseracing Authority, said there was no established protocol for dealing with a trainer from another jurisdiction, should they wish to have runners in Britain in the immediate aftermath of a criminal conviction, with disciplinary action still pending. “We’ll deal with that matter if it arises,” he said.
Free Eagle, whose only defeat in three runs so far was behind Australia last year, remains on course for a rematch in the Champion Stakes at Ascot a week on Saturday, according to his trainer, Dermot Weld. “He’s in good form, I’m pleased with him and the Champion Stakes looks the logical way to go with him,” Weld said, adding that the horse is likely to stay in training next year.
