RPGTV have announced a £100,000 sponsorship package for 2019.
In addition to supporting the Scottish and East Anglian Derbys and Select Stakes, they will back the Steel City Cup at Sheffield, which moves to March, and the St.Leger at Perry Barr which will boast a £15,000 first prize.
Also lined up for cash are Poole for the Golden Crest, Nottingham for the Derby Plate and Central Park who take over the Champion Hurdle which becomes a Cat 1 event.
Kevan Moretti, chairman and chief executive of GTV Limited, the vehicle that commissions the RPGTV broadcasts, has called for greyhound fans and punters to support the channel’s aims by betting with the bookmakers which sponsor it.
Moretti said of the £100,000 sponsorship package: “This is a significant investment by GTV’s shareholders to support a wider spread of Category One competitions and showcase the very best racing on RPGTV during 2019. If we want to sustain and grow RPGTV’s sponsorship commitments, we ask our audience please place your bets with the bookmakers that support and contribute to RPGTV.
“These are bet365, Betfred, Ladbrokes Coral, Paddy Power-Betfair, Unibet and William Hill. These bookmakers fund RPGTV out of the bets they take on races that RPGTV broadcasts. If we don’t back them, we will be putting future RPGTV sponsorships at risk.”
Champion trainer Mark Wallis said: “It is great news at the start of the year. I was only saying last week that we need to know that these events and going on, for the sake of the owners and trainers trying to plan ahead.
“RPGTV isn’t SKY, but it isn’t a million miles away and is popular with owners. I would love to see the sponsors show a bit of faith and publicise the channel elsewhere, including on the racing channels. We know SKY isn’t coming back, let’s make the best of what we’ve got.”
