Coral and Ladbrokes’ 160 pitches at tracks all soldOn-course betting severely impacted by Covid-19 crisisLadbrokes and Coral, two of the most familiar brands in betting, will vanish from the betting rings in
Britain and
Ireland following the news that GVC, the parent company of both firms, has agreed to sell its 106 pitches to a rival bookie and withdraw from on-course operations.
Both Coral and Ladbrokes have been fixtures “on the rails” at racecourses for many decades, and Ladbrokes’ nickname of “the Magic Sign” was often used by the late John McCririck in reports from the betting ring on Channel 4 Racing, when the firm’s representatives were trying to hedge liabilities on a well-backed runner.