ITV expands Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe coverage

ITV has expanded its coverage of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with over three hours of programming to be shown on Sunday 1 October.

Broadcast Sport Awards shortlisted presenter Ed Chamberlin will present a dedicated studio programme alongside Francesca Cumani, with Oli Bell on-course in a roving reporter role. The programme will be on ITV4 and STV from 1pm-4.15pm on 1 October, with the broadcaster showing five Group 1 contests from Longchamp for the first time. Sky Sports Racing and Virgin media will also be showing the meet across the UK & Ireland.

Overall, there will be 25 broadcasters showing the horse racing event globally, with distribution secured by HBA Media.

French broadcaster M6 will be onsite for a bespoke broadcast, with domestic coverage supplemented by Equidia, a French free-to-air racing network. Elsewhere in Europe, RAI will air the event in Italy, as well as WeDoTV (Germany / Switzerland / Austria), Silknet (Georgia), Polsat (Poland), Kanal 75 (Sweden) and Setanta (Balkans and Eurasia).

HBA Media is producing a Golden Hour broadcast for the global audience for the first time, which sees Tom Stanley present a 60-minute show covering the feature race, and contain additional features produced by World Horse Racing, with in-running coverage provided by Equidia. A five-hour World Feed produced by Equidia, featuring the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a collection of elite Group 1 races, is also available to broadcasters.

Fox Sports has picked up the Golden Hour for the US, and Racing.com and Entain’s OTT channels will show the event in Australia, and Entain in New Zealand too. TransVision will broadcast the racing in Indonesia; Al Kass, Al Rayyan and beIN in Qatar; DMI across MENA; FanCode and Sony Pictures Network in India; The Green Channel in Japan; and Sport24 on cruise lines and airlines. Reuters will distribute the event to news outlets.

Henry Birtles, chief executive of HBA Media, said: “We are very pleased with the comprehensive global distribution for this year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, headlined by strong free to air coverage on ITV and RAI as Frankie Dettori makes his final appearance at the event.

Our ability to offer broadcasters various live packages, including our new Golden Hour show, has resulted in improved exposure across multiple linear and digital networks, and ensured that the Arc’s international resonance continues to go from strength to strength.”

Delphine Violette, director of commercial and marketing for organiser France Galop, said: “We are delighted with the enthusiasm shown by French and international broadcasters for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, recognised as one of the world’s best races. This increase in the Arc’s international exposure is the fruit of a productive collaboration with the HBA team, initiated in 2022. We have high hopes for the future, in particular for the success of the Golden Hour program, which should enable us to further extend the event’s international exposure.”