The Jockey Club has outlined their plans for spending from a new £100 million deal secured with Levy, a wing of Compass Group UK. That deal will last for 20 years, while black market bookmakers are reported to have profited from the Cheltenham Festival.
Read more of the racing news today in our Tuesday round-up.
Jockey Club announce plans for £100 million deal
The Jockey Club has secured a £100 million deal with levy, an entertainment branch of Compass Group UK. It is a 20-year deal for the partnership which sees the launch of Jockey Club Experiences. The Jockey Club has announced plans to renew the experience across its portfolio of racetracks, which include Cheltenham, Aintree and Epsom Downs. Plans have already been outlined to boost crowds at the Derby for 2026. (PA via Racing TV)
Illegal Operators pocket seven figures at Cheltenham
It has been estimated that 6% of bookmaking business at the 2026 Cheltenham festival was with illegal operators. Black market bookmakers are reported to have profited to the tune of £2 million at the event. Illegal operators are those which do not pay tax in the UK, nor offer adequate resources to counteract addiction. Recent tax rises on legitimate online bookmakers is said to be one reason some players have jumped to illegal alternatives. (Daily Star)
Aidan O’Brien nominates Albert Einstein for Guineas
Aidan O’Brien has nominated Albert Einstein as his strongest chance for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The twice-raced colt missed the majority of his juvenile season though made an early impression in 2025. The son of Wootton Bassett is a Group 3 winner and could usurp champion juvenile Gstaad to be the Ballydoyle number one in the opening classic. O’Brien has won the race ten times, but has not done so since 2019. (Racing Post)
2026 Grand National latest
A broken leg will rule former champion jockey Brian Hughes out of the Grand National meeting at Aintree. Hughes won the title in 2020 and has ridden more than 2,000 winners in his career so far. He has ridden 99 winners this campaign, finishing runner-up in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham last week. However, a fall at Newcastle on Saturday has likely put paid to the remainder of his campaign. (Racing Post)
Former Grand National favourite Vieux Lion Rouge has passed away at the age of 17. David Pipe’s charge holds the record for the most fences jumped over the famous course at an extraordinary 254. He finished seventh and sixth respectively in the 2026 and 2017 renewals of the National itself, while also enjoying two victories in the Becher Chase, the second aged 11 in December 2020. (The Sun)