TF1 picks up French horse racing rights

French commercial broadcaster TF1 has struck a rights deal with the country's horse racing rights-holders, France Galop and LeTrot.

The rights will run for three years, from 2016 to 2018.

The coverage will be available on the main TF1 channel, free-to-air DTT channel LCI, as well as online.

TF1 will show all major French horse racing events, including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and 14 dates from the preceding series, as well as weekly support programming.

France Galop and LeTrot opted against renewing rights deals with public-service broadcaster France Télévisions and digital-terrestrial-television channel L’Équipe 21 beyond the end of last year. Regular coverage had been shown on France Télévisions’ France 3 channel.