BBC Radio 4’s Today programme scraps daily horse racing betting tips

BBC Radio 4’s Today programme is to “break the tradition” and scrap daily horse racing tips, host Amol Rajan has said.

The broadcaster’s flagship radio news programme previously offered regular tips for races taking place around the country.

These will now only be offered for the “biggest days in the racing calendar”, according to Rajan.

At the end of the sports bulletin on the show on Monday morning, he addressed sports reporter Mike Williams, saying: “No racing tips from you today, Mike.

“That is because we have decided to break the tradition of having racing tips every day of the year.

“Instead we’re going to reserve the tips for the biggest days in the racing calendar.

“We will very much continue to cover horse racing, as we do so many other sports, not least through interviews with leading lights in the racing world.

“And we will sometimes continue to broadcast from the big ticket events like the Grand National festival, or Cheltenham Gold Cup week.”

Other major events expected to merit tips include the Epsom Derby, Ascot Gold Cup and King George VI Chase at Kempton.

A statement from the BBC said: “After careful consideration, we have decided to focus racing tips on the big races across the year.

“The Today programme remains committed to covering racing news and this will continue on the programme’s sports bulletins.”

The move comes amid a political betting scandal as the Tory campaign faces allegations a string of people with links to the Conservative Party or Number 10 bet on the timing of the election contest before it was announced.