What Racecourse Technical Services does

Racecourse Technical Services Limited, trading as RaceTech, is the UK horse racing industry's dedicated technical facilities provider, wholly owned by the Racecourse Association (RCA) since 1998. Founded in 1946 as the Race Finish Recording Company following a Jockey Club investigation into photographic judging of race results, the company pioneered horse racing's first photo-finish system in 1947 and now provides 100% coverage of British racecourses for broadcast and integrity services. It supports all 59 UK racecourses and more than 1,500 racing fixtures annually through a workforce of approximately 150 permanent staff, supplemented by nearly 400 freelance workers during peak periods, seven UK operational bases, and a fleet of 105 vehicles including 10 outside broadcast trucks.

RaceTech's service portfolio spans Outside Broadcast Services (HD live coverage delivered to ITV Racing, Racing TV, Sky Sports Racing, and international rights holders such as Hong Kong Jockey Club), Integrity Services (multi-angle camera feeds for British Horseracing Authority stewards via the Evertz DreamCatcher system), Photo Finish Technology (dual-camera systems upgraded to the new Lynx units capturing approximately 6,000 frames per second), Starting Stalls operation (Steriline units with BHA-accredited handlers), Public Address systems, and Racecourse AV installations. Supporting infrastructure includes a media archive containing every UK race since 1961, a reverse-angle photo finish camera co-developed with the BHA, a National Hunt break-beam timing system, and the RaceTech Hub at Raynes Park enabling cloud-based remote production using AWS-hosted SimplyLive Vibox environments.

The company operates a managed-services B2B revenue model anchored on long-term (typically 5–10 year) service contracts with UK racecourse operators — including Jockey Club Racecourses (15 racecourses covering Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, and Derby), Ascot, Chester, Goodwood, Newbury, and Chelmsford City — alongside broadcast services delivered on a contractual basis to rights holders and integrity services to the BHA. Consumer-facing Race DVDs, Race USBs, and Photo Finish Prints are sold directly through the company's online storefront at £30–£40 per item. Recent commercial activity includes the 2025 BMC TV partnership covering 700+ fixtures for The Racing Partnership, multi-year Jockey Club and Goodwood extensions through 2029, and technology innovation in cloud remote production and ultra-high-resolution immersive broadcast for Apple Vision Pro developed with Focal Point VR and Ateme.

Name

Racecourse Technical Services

Legal name

Racecourse Technical Services Limited

Website

https://racetech.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Racecourse Technical Services (RaceTech) is the UK horse racing industry's dedicated technical facilities provider, wholly owned by the Racecourse Association. It delivers broadcast, photo finish, integrity, starting stalls, and AV services across all 59 British racecourses and 1,500+ annual fixtures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Broadcast and Technical Services

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Technology & Timing/Tracking Infrastructure (MPAEADAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL)

Keywords

• Horse racing broadcast
• Photo finish technology
• Outside broadcast services
• Racecourse AV installations
• Starting stalls operation

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Racecourse Technical Services Contracts: Long-term service agreements with UK racecourses covering broadcast services, integrity services, photo finish, starting stalls, public address, timing, and AV installations. Contracts typically run 5-10 years with major racecourse operators including Jockey Club Racecourses, Ascot, Chester, Newbury, Goodwood, and Chelmsford City.
2. Media Product Sales: Sale of media products including Race DVDs, Race USBs containing archived race footage, and Photo Finish Prints to racehorse owners, trainers, syndicates, and racing enthusiasts.
3. Broadcast Services for Rights Holders: Provision of HD broadcast facilities and coverage for terrestrial and satellite broadcasters including ITV Racing, Racing TV, Sky Sports Racing, and international broadcasters such as Hong Kong Jockey Club.
4. Integrity Services: Camera coverage and technology services for race officials and stewards, providing real-time and replay footage from multiple angles for race day officiating.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Racecourse Technical Services (trading as RaceTech) is the dedicated technical facilities provider for the British horse racing industry, delivering HD outside broadcast, photo finish imaging, integrity camera coverage, starting stalls, public address, racecourse TV production, and audio-visual installations to all 59 UK racecourses across 1,500+ annual fixtures. The company also sells physical media products (Race DVDs, Race USBs, Photo Finish Prints) from its archive covering every British race since 1961.

Product overview

RaceTech is a technical facilities provider for British horseracing offering a unified portfolio of broadcast and raceday services. The core offering combines Outside Broadcast Services (delivering HD live coverage via a fleet of OB trucks including flagship OB10), Integrity Services (camera coverage for stewards), Photo Finish Technology (world-leading finish line imaging at 6,000 frames per second), Starting Stalls (logistics and BHA-accredited handlers), and Public Address systems. Supporting services include Media Services (archive management, video production, graphics), Racecourse TV production, and Racecourse AV Installations. Physical media products include Race DVD, Race USB, and Photo Finish Prints available for purchase. Recent innovations include cloud remote production capability, ultra-high-resolution immersive broadcast for Apple Vision Pro, and Lynx camera technology for enhanced photo finish images. The company serves 59 British racecourses covering over 1,500 fixtures annually, providing coverage to ITV Racing, Racing TV, and Sky Sports Racing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outside Broadcast Services Provision of HD outside broadcast facilities including a fleet of mobile control units and trained technicians, delivering simultaneous live coverage to satellite and terrestrial broadcasters (ITV Racing, Racing TV, Sky Sports Racing) and racing stakeholders.
• Integrity Services Multi-angle integrity camera coverage with a minimum of five camera positions (head-on, side-on, high level hoist, gantry, super slow motion, drone, portable radio cameras) providing real-time and replay HD footage to stewards and BHA officials for race day officiating.
• Photo Finish Technology World-leading photo finish imaging system using dual digital cameras and a 1800mm x 150mm mirror capturing images up to 6,000 frames per second for pixel-level accuracy in race winner determination; images are printed and transmitted to the BHA within moments of each race.
• Starting Stalls Services Supply, transport, and operation of starting stalls using internationally-used Steriline units (10-bay and 14-17 bay configurations), specially modified for UK safety standards, with a minimum of 11 BHA-accredited trained handlers per flat race meeting, plus full project management.
• Public Address Systems Audio and communication services for racecourses including hand-held radios for stewards, officials and staff, commentary, race commentary, and safety announcements; expertise in unique racecourse acoustics combining indoor and outdoor coverage.
• Media Services Digital racing archive management (every UK race since 1961), centralized graphics library, promotional video production, racecourse TV graphics design, and post-race services including video brochures and race copies for connections.
• Racecourse TV Production
• Racecourse AV Installations Audio-visual installations for racecourses including public address, evacuation compliant systems, video-on-demand touchscreen technology, with creative planning, project management, installation, commissioning and operation.
• Race DVD Physical DVD product containing official race footage from the British horse racing archive (British Classic races since 1961 plus extensive recent Flat and Jump racing footage); sold directly to consumers at £40 with volume discounts for syndicates and owners.
• Race USB USB drive product containing race footage from the British horse racing archive at £40 per USB, with special offers (e.g. second race free) and volume discounts for syndicates and multi-horse owners.
• Photo Finish Prints 10x8 inch photo finish prints capturing the winning line moment of a race at £30 each, available for all races from the last two years and historic classic races, with custom quotes for 6 or more copies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coverage expanded from 800 to 1500+ fixtures under current leadership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered innovation and core.

• Focal Point VR LtdinnovationTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026UK-based immersive video technology company providing multi-8K sensor camera system for world's first live ultra-high-resolution immersive horse racing broadcast at Ascot. System delivers stereoscopic depth with 37 pixels-per-degree fidelity.
• AtemeinnovationTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026Global video compression and delivery solutions provider. Ateme's TITAN encoder processes ultra-high-resolution content in real time, encoding directly into Apple's MV-HEVC immersive format for Apple Vision Pro playback.
• Bluebell OpticominnovationTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026Fibre optic link manufacturer providing flexible connectivity solution to link Focal Point VR camera systems and processing engine for immersive broadcast demonstration at Ascot.
• BMC TVcoreTechnology or Integration · 21 January 2025Groundbreaking partnership securing multi-year, multi-million-pound contract with The Racing Partnership. BMC TV provides critical connectivity infrastructure while RaceTech contributes its Raynes Park remote production facility and horse racing expertise. Together they deliver advanced media connectivity and remote production solutions for TRP's transition to fully remote production workflow.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)innovationTechnology or Integration · 11 July 2022Collaboration on cloud-hosted SaaS technology trials for remotely producing UK horse racing events. AWS provides cloud infrastructure enabling RaceTech to explore remote production capabilities and reduce capital-intensive on-course hardware requirements.
• SimplyLiveinnovationTechnology or Integration · 11 July 2022Remote production expert partner providing SimplyLive Vibox Suite software for cloud-based race production trials. The software replicates on-course hardware technology including vision mixer, router, and record/replay systems as software in the cloud.
• EvertzcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2021Provider of DreamCatcher live production system installed across RaceTech's outside broadcast fleet. System enables remote reviews of races by stewards and real-time access to multiple camera angles.
• VislinkcoreTechnology or Integration · 20 April 2021Global technology leader providing Radio Frequency cameras and equipment for remote race coverage. Vislink's RF cameras enable roving coverage around racecourses, capturing wider arrays of shots than fixed positions. Equipment used at major festivals including Cheltenham and Grand National.
• Swiss TimingcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing technology partner providing Star camera photofinish system and sectional timing and tracking solutions. Partnership dates back to 2011 rollout of Swiss Timing photofinish systems.
• Bright TangerineinnovationTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to develop Prodigy Air Deflector, a camera equipment innovation for racecourse broadcasting.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NEP Group: World's largest outside broadcast facilities provider, operating a global fleet of OB trucks and production services for sports and live events. Directly comparable to RaceTech's OB services and broadcast infrastructure business, but serves many sports and event types rather than specializing in horse racing.
• Genius Sports: Global sports data, technology, and integrity services company with significant horse racing exposure and broadcast technology capabilities. Comparable technology stack and integrity focus, but serves multiple sports globally rather than being the integrated service provider for a single national racing jurisdiction.
• Sportradar: Global sports technology and data company providing betting content, broadcast services, and integrity solutions across multiple sports including horse racing. Comparable to RaceTech in integrity services and racing data, but operates across many sports and geographies rather than specializing in UK racing broadcast infrastructure.
• EMG (formerly TVN Group): European outside broadcast and live production services company, including UK operations. Directly comparable to RaceTech's broadcast services arm with similar OB truck fleet and broadcast technology offerings, but operates across multiple verticals rather than exclusively in horse racing. RaceTech's Chair Bevan Gibson came from EMG.

Regional players

• PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain): French horse racing operator and technology/services provider with in-house broadcast, photo finish, and integrity capabilities. Operates a similar integrated technical services model for French racing, but serves a different national jurisdiction with locally-embedded infrastructure rather than competing in the UK market.
• Tabcorp / Sky Racing Australia: Australian racing and broadcast services operator providing integrated racing technical services including broadcast, photo finish, and timing for Australian and international racing. Operates a similar end-to-end technical services model but in the Australian/NZ market rather than competing in the UK.

Others

• Arena Racing Company (ARC): Largest UK racecourse operator and RaceTech customer through The Racing Partnership. While primarily a racecourse operator rather than technology provider, ARC has invested in in-house broadcast and racecourse TV capability, making it both a major customer and a potential source of disintermediation pressure on RaceTech's service bundle.
• Racecourse Media Group (RMG): UK racing media rights organization that contracts RaceTech for HD television services. As the commercial vehicle that sells racecourse media rights to broadcasters, RMG is an important customer and ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but its strategic decisions directly shape RaceTech's addressable service scope.
• Evertz Microsystems: Global broadcast technology vendor providing the DreamCatcher live production system used by RaceTech across its OB fleet. While primarily a technology supplier rather than service competitor, Evertz's solutions are deployed by other OB providers that compete with RaceTech for broadcast contracts.

Direct peers

• SIS (Sports Information Services): SIS provides UK and international racing data, broadcast distribution, and satellite services to betting operators and media companies. Most direct comparable to RaceTech's UK racing broadcast and content distribution services, operating in the same British horse racing ecosystem with overlapping customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/racetechmedia
• Xx.com/RaceTechUK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Racecourse Technical Services