MultiChoice and 4Racing introduce Ch240

Johannesburg, Tuesday 18 January 2022

MultiChoice and 4Racing will usher in an exciting new world of broadcast entertainment for the horseracing industry, with the launch of Racing 240 on DStv Channel 240 on Wednesday 19 January 2022.

The brand new 24-hour channel will exclusively bring MultiChoice viewers the glitz, glamour, entertainment, speed, adrenaline and drama of the big ticket South African race days such as the Cape Town MET presented by World Sports Betting, the L’Ormarins Queens Plate, Derby Day, Charity Mile and the World Sports Betting Summer Cup

Racing 240 will also feature top international race days from global racing hotspots such as Dubai, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Singapore, Turkey, France, Sweden, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Major global racing events which will be broadcast on Racing 240 include the Dubai World Cup, Kentucky Derby, The Grand National, Epsom Derby, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup, Hong Kong Vase and Royal Ascot.

The first major feature race to be broadcast on Racing 240 will be the build-up and live coverage of the Cape Town Met on Saturday 29 January 2022 at the Kenilworth Racecourse, one of the biggest and most glamorous days on the South African horseracing and social calendar.

The 24 hour horseracing channel, operating under the auspices of 4RacingTV, will initially be available to all DStv Premium, Compact, Compact +, Family and Access subscribers.

“The sport of racing is loved by many South Africans. Now they can watch the best racing and social events live on DStv thanks to the launch of this new racing channel. We pride ourselves on bringing our subscribers the best of local and international content and the addition of a new racing channel will bring glitz, glamour and hours of entertainment for equestrian lovers. It is just another way we are improving our value offering for our subscribers” said Gideon Khobane, group executive of general entertainment at MultiChoice.

Racing 240 will feature live horseracing from 4Racing venues in the Highveld (Turffontein and the Vaal), Nelson Mandela Bay (Fairview) and Cape Racing (Kenilworth and Durbanville), as well as a host of top international races as its main content offering. Discussions are ongoing with regards to including KwaZulu-Natal’s racing.

The new channel will go live on DStv Channel 240 at 17h30 tomorrow and will then cross live at 18h00 to Kenilworth Racecourse for the barrier draw for the Cape Town MET 2022, presented by World Sports Betting.

“Racing 240 will be our shop window to the world to showcase and profile the exciting sport of horseracing and we are delighted with this landmark partnership with MultiChoice. South Africa’s horseracing industry delivers world-class quality entertainment and it is critically important that we enhance the broadcast product to ensure its attractiveness to both local and international audiences. It is also important that we give better insight into the sport to attract a new generation of racegoer and punter, which is crucial to the sport’s livelihood,” said 4Racing Chief Executive Officer, Fundi Sithebe.

The new channel will utilise cutting edge technology and advanced animation, graphics and augmented reality capabilities to elevate the viewing experience.

The live races will be complemented by magazine shows and programming that will showcase the sport’s lifestyle and entertainment elements, as well as profiling the vibrant jockeys, trainers, owners, grooms and of course the punters that are the lifeblood of the sport.

The statistics, odds, form guides, data and betting information that are absolutely critical to the sport will continue to be found on the new channel for the benefit of punters.

Racing 240 will look to delight, entertain and inform viewers with more exciting, distinctive local horse racing events and content, delivered across a range of devices for them to enjoy, anytime, anywhere.

ENDS

For any media inquiries kindly contact Jermaine Craig on 0832010121 or email JermaineC@4racing.com.

The more things (supposedly) change, the more they (actually) stay the same...

TNaicker wrote:

The more things (supposedly) change, the more they (actually) stay the same...

Not quite the same - KZN boys currently not in the mix :ohmy:

Frodo wrote:

TNaicker wrote:

The more things (supposedly) change, the more they (actually) stay the same...

Not quite the same - KZN boys currently not in the mix :ohmy:

Okay...the more they (actually) get worse...

Can't the powers that be see you need to have racing easily accessible / viewable to try to capture an (increasing) audience ? So increase the platforms that racing is broadcast on at no cost and you will see pools improve with each viewer added...and that increasing pools will pay for the broadcast "at no cost" the punter that is already paying into the pools...

The part that excites me is “The new channel will utilise cutting edge technology and advanced animation, graphics and augmented reality capabilities to elevate the viewing experience”. 💪

The part that gives me a softie is “... we are in talks with KZN racing”, 👎


Sent from my Ferrari using Tapatalk

Probably not HD yet or they would have mentioned it.
Well maybe it could be.

The majority of South Africans do not have DSTV.

The only way to get the sport to the masses is via SABC.

All we doing is creating an elitist sport. You can just watch the Queens Plate coverage to see that it is elitist

Sammy Silver wrote:

The majority of South Africans do not have DSTV.

The only way to get the sport to the masses is via SABC.

All we doing is creating an elitist sport. You can just watch the Queens Plate coverage to see that it is elitist

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Celebrations have already started for the newly repackaged product now.......................wait until after the 12 horse field Met with a crowd of 2000 and watch how the reviews will rave.

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Independent Online (IOL)
Cape Racing leads the charge as 4Racing takes SA horse racing over the line
Herman Gibbs 1 hour ago


Cape Town — After the demise of Phumelela, South Africa's horse racing's new operator 4Racing under the leadership of Soweto pilot Fundi Sithebe has overseen the rebirth of the industry with the Western Cape leading the charge.

© Provided by Independent Online (IOL)
Last December, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure closed shop after a financial collapse, and that opened the way for the transfer of licence approvals to 4Racing around the country. Sithebe, the chief executive officer of 4Racing,

However, a few weeks into their reign, the industry enjoys stability and growth, despite many horse racing meetings behind closed doors. With the lifting of some restrictions, the biggest turnaround has been in the Western Cape, which has recently staged two feature events.

Sithebe attended both recent events in Kenilworth and has praised Cape Racing, the new horse racing operator for Kenilworth and Durbanville.

"I want to congratulate Cape Racing on the flawless staging of both events and for the close co-operation with 4Racing to enhance the racing experience for all," said Sithebe.

"The Cape Guineas was a fantastic way to end the 2021 racing calendar, and the L'Ormarins Queens Plate the perfect way to begin our Grade 1 South African horseracing season in 2022.

"Both events were superbly staged, providing a quality field for the loyal punters and great entertainment and excitement for leisure racegoers.

"We now look forward to the Cape Town Met in partnership with World Sports Betting. We hope to use these signature events to build a culture of racing. We would like to entice a new, diverse audience to attend the races all year round.

"For us at 4Racing, we were also very happy to be able to test some broadcasting initiatives and try out some new ideas during the Cape Town visits. We are ready to launch an innovative and a new consumer broadcast channel, which we are confident will help attract a new audience to the wonderful sport of horse racing."

Justin Snaith, the multiple South African champion trainer, has been impressed with the way 4Racing has responded to challenging conditions with speed and flexibility. He foresees great growth in the industry.

"Horse racing in South Africa had been hampered for more than a decade under the management of the listed company Phumelela and earlier the Racing Association," said Snaith.

"Now, under the direction of 4Racing, the future looks encouraging for the sport and its stakeholders.

"4Racing is privately owned and professionally run, which is positioned for the benefit of racing and its participants. It is focused on the sporting aspect of the business.

"The metamorphosis has commenced. Changes have already been noticed. We are seeing the dawn of a new era as the glitz and glamour return to the 'Sport of Kings'.

"The first race meeting in Africa was held in 1802, so it’s a sport steeped in tradition and has always been responsible for enormous international tourism. The sport is making a massive comeback and will soon be found in mainstream media once again.

"Our local horses, jockeys, trainers and grooms are incredibly competitive and highly regarded internationally. We have an incredible product which all South Africans can be proud of.

"4Racing is one horse you can back, and we cannot wait to see you at the races!"

Expert horseracing analyst and racing manager Mark van Deventer has had his finger on the pulse of the horse racing industry, locally and around the globe. He says the new dispensation has attracted people that are committed and devoted to the industry.

"Racing, like all live sport, took a heavy hit during the lockdown. Economic pressures over the years have inevitably caused shrinkage," said Van Deventer.

"Old-timers will recall the golden era before sports betting or casinos became legal (when racing was the only gambling game in town) how the grandstands would be packed, and betting turnovers were massive. Realistically, those days are long gone.

"As compelling and stimulating as racing is to its truly passionate fans and those devoted professionals (jockeys, trainers, grooms, breeders, officials) who earn a living working with thoroughbred racehorses, they acknowledge it is difficult. It is also an expensive sport trying to compete in an era where most customers want things as cheap as possible, simple fixes and instant gratification. So, things can be tough.

"Whether we market it mainly as a sport or entertainment, a wonderful outdoor spectacle and social opportunity to share with mates or promote it as a challenging betting game where the most skilful horseplayers make serious money, racing still has a great deal to offer.

"I see positive signs of renewal right now with committed racing people and super-sussed marketers trying hard to do the right thing. Forging new partnerships to make horse-racing sustainable in SA is essential.

The bottom line is racing's voluntary participants (punters/owners) need to be treated well or else they will take their discretionary spend elsewhere. It helps to have a mutually supportive, not adversarial, relationship between the authorities and operators. The integrity of the game is also vital.

"Despite all the ructions that racing, and indeed this country is facing, there is still hope, enormous talent and that special South African 'gees' and can-do spirit of resilience to draw upon.

"Racing remains a great game and by making genuine efforts to extend its appeal to a wider, mass-market, then our shared future can be brighter."

Veteran Cape Town trainer Vaughan Marshall, often referred to as the 'Milnerton maestro', said there are "positive vibes" in Cape racing circles.

There are positive vibes out there about the upcoming Cape Met and racing in general," said Marshall.

"People are still wary of the powers that be treating us in the Western Cape as the poor relations. My thoughts are if we all work hard, Cape Racing will rise but we do need to work together."

Ashwin Reynolds, the first horse owner of colour to win Africa’s most famous race, Vodacom Durban July, said the industry has become more inclusive. Reynolds hails from the Cape Flats, and his horse Kommetdieding won the Durban July at Greyville Racecourse last year.

He is optimistic about the future of horse racing in the Mother City.

"The Cape Met has always been the crown jewel for horse racing in the Mother City, and I have no doubt that this year's event is going to be fantastic," said Reynolds, a building contractor by profession.

"Like many, I am confidently optimistic about the future of horseracing. I am a firm believer that when people come together with renewed energy, a common goal and vision, only great things can happen.

"It has been such a refreshing, welcoming sight to see the introduction of so many new faces, and therefore new energy, throughout the racing fraternity.

"I hope that all stakeholders will work together, without agendas, to restore horse racing to its former glory and more inclusive."

The Cape Town Met 2022 presented by World Sports Betting will be on Saturday, 29 January, at Kenilworth in Cape Town.

will channel 240 be on all DSTV packages?

Sylvester wrote:

will channel 240 be on all DSTV packages?

The 24 hour horseracing channel, operating under the auspices of 4RacingTV, will initially be available to all DStv Premium, Compact, Compact +, Family and Access subscribers.

So it seems to me that everything will stay “almost” the same, without KZN racing. Will press on the remote 240 instead of 249.
Seems 240 will have plenty of glitz an glamour………………
Will Cecil get a new suit and tie?

Just happy that racing continues on DSTV. Was already making plans for my retired dad to enrol for classes on how to stream. That would have been a problem of note………………

Looking forward to the Big day racing from Turkey.

Much ado about nothing :whistle: