A new era of watching and wagering on some of the world’s highest profile horse races is here with Woodbine Entertainment’s Ignite World Racing, which premiered last Saturday, Sept. 7.

Ignite World Racing brings racing fans across Canada an unparalleled access to 29 premier Thoroughbred events from 10 countries around the globe, all showcased in a single, integrated broadcast on Sportsnet.

Six of the world-class stakes contests coming to television screens nationwide through Ignite will be e races live from Woodbine Racetrack. This includes the Grade 1 $1 million Woodbine Mile, part of Turf Champions Day on Sept.14, and a pair of Grade 2 Turf Finals Day tilts in the $250,000 Neartic and $200,000 Dance Smartly, presented by bet365, on Oct. 5.

Canada’s Showplace of Racing, home of the iconic King’s Plate, will produce the broadcast for each of its half-dozen offerings, as well as the Prince of Wales – the second jewel of the prestigious OLG Canadian Triple Crown – contested at Fort Erie Racetrack today.

All 22 global races will operate as part of the Ignite brand and come equipped with Woodbine-commissioned signage and featurettes. However, the main broadcasts will be produced by the rights-holder for the particular international race.

The Breeders’ Cup (United States), Melbourne Cup (Australia), Royal Ascot (England), Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (France), Dubai World Cup (UAE) and American Triple Crown (USA) are among the outstanding worldwide events coming to Ignite.

“Racing is a global sport and one that offers so many viewing and betting opportunities, which is why we have approached our media rights deal this way,” said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. “Instead of only broadcasting six of Woodbine’s biggest races on network television, we went out and bought the Canadian rights to the top races from around the world so we can deliver the best races under a single Canadian broadcast brand to sports bettors and viewers across the country. By doing this, our aim is to help sports bettors and fans know where to consistently find the very best our sport has to offer.”

Copeland said that Woodbine’s latest innovation in broadcasting is a game changer, not only for lifelong fans of horse racing, but for sports fans making their foray into elite equine entertainment.

With Ignite, spectators and handicappers, alike, are treated to a one-stop shop containing the luxury items racing fans look for. Under this streamlined model, both novice racing fans and sports bettors will know which races to prioritize as premium wagering opportunities.

Players in Ontario can wager on all the action through HPIbet, Dark Horse Bets and bet365, which struck a partnership with Woodbine in August of 2023 that enabled users to wager on horse racing via bet365’s Ontario app and website.

Fans outside Canada’s most populous province can still get in on all the action through both HPIbet and Dark Horse Bets.

No matter where the bets are placed, Ignite is ready to provide a sports entertainment spark.

“As the legalized sports betting market continues to emerge in Ontario, we have an unprecedented opportunity to engage an entirely new audience and bring them into the sport. This new broadcast strategy and brand is a critical tool in helping us engage with that audience,” said Copeland. “And for current racing fans, we will be delivering, through this new brand and our partners at Sportsnet, more live racing than ever before.”

(With files from Woodbine)