SIS strikes deal to show French race

BRITISH betting shops will show live television coverage of Sunday's Arc de Triomphe horse race under an historic deal between Satellite Information Services and France Galop, French racing's governing body.

The new entente is expected to boost British betting on the Longchamp meeting by up to £25m.

The breakthrough came when the French backed down from their demands that British bookies pay 3% of their annual £120m to French racing, settling for a lower, but undisclosed, fee.

Satellite Information Services was also keen to cut a deal similar to the one rival Attheraces did five months ago.

French racing has been growing in popularity with British punters - particularly the Arc de Triomphe race, which last year contributed £9m to the total £20m bet on French races.

George Irvine, SIS's director of programming, said: 'The full deal, starting this Sunday, is to offer live picture coverage and data-related services to up to 30 French meetings in British betting shops over the next year.'

Satellite Information Services has been on the lookout for new markets since being outbid two years ago by Attheraces for the exclusive contract to sell TV pictures of British racing overseas, worth £15m a year.