I am giving a realistic view on it, not looking to be "Disgusted from Tunbridge Wells.". Should I write to the relevant governing body each time I'm mildly sceptical over something?

Regarding the rights in terms of the racing channels Racing UK is the channel to watch given that At The Races is very likely to keep the Arena Racing Company tracks +Chelmsford City but could end up losing the 9 small independent tracks (Hexham, Ripon, Stratford, Leicester, Towcester, Fakenham, Newton Abbot, Taunton and Plumpton) and maybe the Irish as well. The reason for the mention of the 9 small independents is that Ripon is among that group and Ripon being in Yorkshire could have a big say in where the 9 small independents go to for their daily racing TV coverage come 2017/18. Also three tracks in the North East 2 (Newcastle and Sedgefield are owned by Arena Racing Company). But Hexham is a independent which of the 3 North East tracks is the most likely to go to Racing UK. The key rights is that of Ireland given that Highflyer Racing UK's production company (also produced RTE's coverage) Racing UK tried to get the Irish rights three times previously 2004, 2007 and 2013 only for At The Races to sign them up (2013 was the most controversial given that Ruby Walsh is sponsored by Racing UK and Punchestown not being very happy with the current deal) the talk is that Racing UK will try again in 2016. And will Racing UK go for the 9 small independent UK tracks.

If Racing UK was to succeed they would surely need 2 channels?

Racing UK will be increasing to 2 channels if the Irish bid succeeds with a dedicated Irish channel.
Also the 9 tracks I mentioned
Stratford, Newton Abbot, Hexham all do Summer Jumping these 3 would increase Racing UK's Summer Jumping coverage which at present is mostly Market Rasen, Cartmel and Perth.
Plumpton, Fakenham, Towcester, Taunton all race mostly in the traditional winter jumping season with the odd summer meeting at Towcester (mostly Tuesday Evenings) also in the traditional winter jumping season Plumpton is a Monday track given that most of it's meetings are on a Monday Afternoon with the odd Sunday and the annual New Years Day meeting and Taunton mostly race on a Thursday.
Ripon is a flat only venue which would also give RUK all of Yorkshire excluding Doncaster.
Leicester is a dual purpose track that does flat and jumping which of the 9 is the only all year round track

Will the price for Irish rights be higher than previous deal? Interesting to see if RUK will go all out to get rights. Just looked at the press release for current deal and HRI seemed very happy with all aspects of ATR deal. Deal expires December 2016

Really don't like the idea of RUK gaining the rights to virtually everything. Its far too expensive and only exists to serve the industry (a bit like the racing post)
Makes virtually all non Saturday racing inaccessible to the normal sports fan

On another subject, why is the online streaming quality - including replays - still so shockingly poor from both ATR and RUK? The Wolverhampton feed tonight is awful, not helped by the weather I'm sure, but even on a good day it's a pixellated mess.

Surely in this day and age HD pictures are a must at all tracks and wouldn't even be that expensive to implement (could be wrong) but would enhance the product no end in turn generating more revenue.

I despair at the fact that nobody in UK racing seems to care about this because if anything picture quality is getting worse.

Doncaster always amuses me, it's SD for 2/3 rds of the course and then flips to HD.
Almost like they think we won't notice.

Yes I have mentioned this previously, any idea why do this? Even when it is Channel 4 main meeting same happens. Does it on ATR as well then?

I have never noticed I am watching the horses race not looking at how many pixels there are on screen and when ATR moved to Milton Keynes it was into a HD ready studio and they were due to start broadcasting in HD the next year for whatever reason, financial or otherwise they have chosen not to invest in it at the current time.

You would think RUK having the premier courses would invest in HD , maybe if both channels were allowed to compete and had the same courses on they might invest but why should they?

In ATR's cases where else will you go to see 95% of the courses they show they have no reason to spend money on HD.

Before they acquire more rights RUK need to get HD coverage, not good enough for a pay channel to not have it in this day and age.

Get rid of all the wafflers and the gravy train merchants if they have more tracks and concentrate on the racing not what the idiots have to say.

John McCririck in The Sun today says he expects C4 to lose the contract to ITV.

I believe RUK are looking at HD. Don't know when but they are

Though if you think about it . . . . .For armchair football fans the 4:15 start isn't really an issue; you just flick over from soccer saturday or turn off the radio for 10 minutes. For match going fans the time is an issue, however i'm not sure that 5:15 is much more useful. I have a season ticket at Reading and we are barely out of the car park at 5:15. In fact I really struggle to catch the start of the 5:30 prem games.

True, but they go from zero people being able to watch to many.
Not driving to games I can be back in the pub/bookies for 5.05

2016 will either be a big change in racing or nothing.

In 2016 the irish horse racing rights are up for renewal again for 2017 onwards so we will see if RUK have another go, I remember I think it was Punchestown were not happy with ATR getting the rights last time but in Ireland it is the HRI who negotiate all the tracks rights not each course and Punchestown now advertise RUK at the winning post.

Also expect ATR to make some improvements as the tv rights for the UK are not to far away, though I expect it will be mostly unchanged when these come around as most courses seem settled into either one or the other.

Can anyone foresee any courses jumping ship the only way I can see any courses changing is from a big sponsorship deal maybe ATR/ARC doing a big deal with some Yorkshire courses.

If ITV do get the new contract, I hope they will work with the subscription channels.
ATR & RUK aren't the best of friends and rarely compliment each other. It's almost like a constant battle.

The sport would benefit from people in TV working together.

I wonder if Channel 4 will cut into the Formula 1 to show the 1:50 from Lingfield?

I now see ITV picking up Channel 4's rights to horse racing with the later now gaining F1 rights, it ain't going to work with both on together...

Why not Channel 4 could start their own version of Grandstand.

In respect of horse racing I seriously think that post 2017 tv rights issues ATR and RUK could merge, RUK have already done a deal with SIS which leaves ATR in no mans land as to who to get the coverage from, the two have already worked together on cutting costs.

If Channel 4 gives up the coverage and itv get it but only want the bigger meetings I can see ATR and RUK coming together and just becoming one, the bookie owners and the Reuben Brothers will sell out when the time is right and I don't think it's too far away, particularly if Irish Racing is lost.

Isn't the sticking point that ITV want exclusive coverage of the major races which are shown on RUK as well ? Can't see how that works out unless RUK becomes free to air

RUK is hardly a competitor with its 50,000 subscribers. Odd that it would bother them.

Jockey Club and RUK will not give into exclusive coverage if itv want it they will have to share it, I think ATR will be same about Doncaster and Lingfield (All Weather championships).

RUK could put themselves in a difficult position by needing the money terrestrial brings but also they need the courses on their own channel.

It's a bit complicated now if F1 is on C4 with the practice sessions on Saturday which will clash with the racing will this affect the new TV deal and will C4 decide to dump horse racing for the more sexy F1 ?

I can't see much sponsorship deals if racing is tucked away on More4 or other such channels.