Racing will shake up its TV tender process this summer by asking broadcasters which races they want to bid for rather than restricting them to specific packages . The sport is not in a position to dictate terms , in contrast to football ’ s Premier League . The new going rate of £11million per live PL match dwarves the £4.8m per year C4 pay for their monopoly terrestrial coverage . And even such an outstanding day of racing as the opening Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival saw a worrying drop in C4 viewing figures , with the peak of 910,000 a significant 71,000 down on the previous year ’ s figure . Annie Power falls at the last fence on an action-packed first day at Cheltenham on Tuesday - but TV figures on C4 were still down 71,000 on last year 's event . Racing Media Group , the TV arm of English racing , remain remarkably pleased with C4 ’ s coverage , which runs until the end of 2016 , despite the decline in armchair watchers . But allowing TV networks to customise their bids means racing could separately sell its crown jewels — Cheltenham , Royal Ascot , the Derby and Grand National — to terrestrial channels . Other marquee meetings may follow . This makes commercial sense , especially as racing is already well served by two subscription channels for the run-of-the-mill meetings . The secret of Irish trainer Willie Mullins ’ s remarkable success at Cheltenham may be there for all to see , emblazoned on his horse boxes parked at the Festival . The promotional message is ‘ What a difference the hay makes ’ . Mullins gets the specially selected hay for his County Kildare stables from Alberta in Canada , through supplier Ransley Hay , based in Ashford , Kent . They say : ‘ Mr Mullins is one of our best customers , so naturally we look after him. ’ Co-authored with Michael Moritz , the book will detail Ferguson 's tactics and management techniques . Publishers Hodder & Stoughton look to have already maximised their investment in Sir Alex Ferguson with two seven-figure advances and two best-selling autobiographies . Yet Fergie , as if £2m for 20 days ’ work as a Manchester United ambassador isn ’ t enough to augment his pension , will no doubt be trousering another £1m plus advance for a leadership book based on his Harvard business school work , written with tycoon Sir Michael Moritz . However , one subject sure to receive little attention in the book is Fergie ’ s fall-out with JP McManus over the breeding rights to champion racehorse Rock Of Gibraltar . Their paths will cross only accidentally at Cheltenham on Thursday . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... . Top football agent Jonathan Barnett claims the FA have not properly consulted with the middle men ahead of bringing in new regulations . Next month ’ s changes may be the subject of an injunction . And Barnett — who says his Stellar agency , run with David Manasseh , is now the biggest in the world in terms of representing players — declared : ‘ It ’ s ridiculous the FA have not bothered to come and see and learn how a big football agency operates . They haven ’ t got a clue at Wembley . ‘ They are bringing in unworkable rules without finding out about the business , especially when an agency of our size is on their doorstep. ’ The FA say they are following guidelines from FIFA , who have passed the buck on to national associations to manage agents . Inverdale ’ s evening out . John Inverdale is understood to have lost his BBC position presenting Wimbledon tennis highlights , with the omnipresent Clare Balding expected to anchor the revamped evening show at this year ’ s Championships . John Inverdale inadvertently said 'rose-c***** glasses ' live on air during Radio 5 Live 's Cheltenham coverage . Inverdale ’ s move to a possible TV commentary role at Wimbledon was made before his latest high-profile gaffe — inadvertently blurting out the c-word while presenting the first day of BBC Radio 5 Live ’ s Cheltenham coverage . ITV Sport will closely examine his crystal-clear ‘ rose-c***** glasses ’ blunder , described as a ‘ slip of the tongue ’ , before announcing their Rugby World Cup team , which Inverdale was expected to lead . Wales may be playing Ireland in a pivotal Six Nations rugby game on Saturday but coach Warren Gatland , his assistants Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards , and several of the players were enjoying the lavish hospitality of the Jockey Club , including lobster for lunch , at Cheltenham yesterday . Welsh stars Rhys Priestland and Jonathan Davies ( right ) were at Ladies Day at Cheltenham on Wednesday .
Racing could separately sell crown jewels — Cheltenham , Derby , the Royal Ascot and Grand National — to terrestrial channels if changes are made . John Inverdale understood to have lost position presenting Wimbledon . Sir Alex Ferguson expected to earn £1million for his latest book .