Sky Bet Sunday Series returns in 2023
The Sky Bet Sunday Series (SBSS) will return in 2023 with six meetings confirmed in the schedule.
The £1.2m Series, in its third year, is an industry-wide collaboration between ITV, Racecourse Media Group, and Sky Betting and Gaming, which will showcase the sport in a Sunday twilight slot on terrestrial television during the summer.
With a focus on delving behind the scenes to make horse racing more accessible and easily understood, the Series last year offered significant bonuses for jockeys, apprentices, trainers, owners, and stable staff and has proved very popular in its Sunday afternoon and early evening slot. Following consultation with stakeholders and horsemen, the exact details of the 2023 Sky Bet Sunday Series will be announced in the New Year.
Musselburgh again stage the opening meeting in April before the TV cameras head to Hamilton, Beverley (which stages its first SBSS fixture), Pontefract, Haydock Park and Sandown Park.
Steve Birch, Sky Betting & Gaming CCO said, “We’re delighted to be able to announce the continuation of the Sky Bet Sunday Series into 2023. It’s a been a hugely successful collaboration between ITV, RMG and Sky Betting and Gaming with a clear focus on making racing more accessible to a wider audience. Customer engagement and sentiment has been very good, industry feedback has been hugely positive, and we’re really looking forward to working with racing to make the 2023 renewal more successful than ever before.”
Ed Gretton, Director of Racing at RMG, said: “Last year’s Sky Bet Sunday Series really built on the inaugural success of 2021, and produced some great storylines, none more so than Evaluation’s bid for a third win in the Sky Bet Sunday Series – which, if successful, would have landed connections a £100,000 bonus. Sadly for connections, he lost by a nose!
“The Series, which is designed to grow the value of the sport by maximising the Sunday opportunity, has attracted highly competitive, good-quality racing, with excellent field sizes, and a fresh injection of significant prizemoney and bonuses. We look forward to revealing exciting new initiatives and bonuses for the Series in the New Year.”
The confirmed schedule for the 2023 Sky Bet Sunday Series is:
•Musselburgh 30th April
•Hamilton 14th May
•Beverley 11th June
•Pontefract 25th June
•Haydock 6th August
•Sandown 20th August