UK racecourses

British racecourses are doing their part in the Queen's Green Canopy initiative with the goal of planting more than 700 trees by the end of 2022. The Queen's Green Canopy, which marks her Platinum Jubilee, invites people from across the UK to "Plant a Tree for the Jubilee". A total of 23 British racecourses have confirmed their participation, with the official tree-planting season taking place between October and March, and then beginning again in October through to the end of the Jubilee year. Ascot Racecourse and the Crown Estate jointly...

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has agreed to five-year licence extensions for audio-visual and data rights for its British racecourses, the company announced on Thursday.  A total of 35 UK racecourses have their LBO rights renewed, and 33 UK racecourses were renewed for all other aspects of their media rights, including streaming (watch & bet), direct to home (DTH), terrestrial TV and international betting and non-betting through Dec. 31, 2028. Owned in its entirety by racecourse shareholders, RMG pays 100% of operating profit back to racecourses, and as a result, it...

A saliva testing trial, a screening method for cocaine and some other banned substances, is now under way at UK racecourses, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Wednesday. Utilising oral swabs, the testing method results are provided near-instantly indicating whether substances are present in a rider's system above existing thresholds. If the trial is successful, British racing will become the first major sport in Britain to utilise on-the-day screening for banned substances through oral swabs. If a jockey does not test negative during the trial, they would be stood down...