Racing.com details unveiled ahead of launch

Racing.com, the new free-to-air digital channel that will launch this Saturday with the backing of the Racing Victoria horseracing body and Australian commercial broadcaster Seven, will feature regular magazine programmes as well as live coverage.

In confirming details about the upcoming launch of Channel 78, Seven said a Thursday night preview show and Sunday morning review show, to complement the live coverage, would launch in September.

A few weeks later, a programme looking at Victoria’s spring carnival will also be launched as the channel seeks to expand its coverage.

Channel Seven Melbourne managing director Lewis Martin said: “We are pleased to confirm that we have secured some terrific people for Racing.com and we are well-advanced in our plans to further expand our coverage of racing over the coming months.”

Racing Victoria opted to create a new dedicated free-to-air channel with Seven instead of striking a deal with the pay-television Sky Channel.

“The launch of the free-to-air racing.com channel achieves the goal of the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry to make our sport available to more people in more places than ever before,” Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie said.