Five Tasmanian thoroughbred race meetings scheduled for June and July have been moved from their Sunday time slots to premium positioning on Sky 1.

The changes are as follows:

• Spreyton Sunday 5 June meeting to Saturday 4 June.

• Spreyton Sunday 26 June meeting to Friday 24 June.

• Elwick Sunday 10 July meeting to Saturday 9 July.

• Spreyton Sunday 17 July meeting to Saturday 16 July.

• Spreyton Sunday 31 July meeting to Saturday 30 July.

Tasracing chief executive officer Eliot Forbes said Sky Racing and Tasracing had a long-standing partnership.

“Tasracing works very closely with Sky in terms of securing the best outcome for the state’s racing industry through scheduling and growing international revenue,” he said.

“With other states trialling alternative race schedules during the winter months, Tasracing and the racing clubs are very pleased to have been provided with this opportunity.”

Dr Forbes thanked the Devonport Racing Club and the Tasmanian Racing Club for their assistance in supporting the date changes.

Dr Forbes said Tasracing and Sky Channel had recently negotiated a new exclusive 10-year media rights deal that secured national and international broadcasts for Tasmanian racing.

“The deal allows for continued and enhanced cooperative arrangements for international broadcasts that provided a record $475,000 in international returns to the racing industry last year,” he said.