The new racing season will see changes coming to how Racing.com broadcasts thoroughbred racing with new initiatives being implemented throughout August.

Beginning August 2, the daily racing coverage on Racing.com will combine a central studio-based hosting with a re-shaped on-course coverage and reporting.

A strategic and commercial partnership has been struck with the AFL to utilise the world-class broadcasting studio and production facilities at AFL House for the next 18-24 months.

Andrew Catterall, Racing.com CEO, believes that accessing the state-of-the-art studios will enhance the Racing.com coverage, complementing an important footprint at racecourse venues.

"Racing.com has long planned to evolve the race-day broadcast, introducing a studio base to provide enhanced form coverage and information on race days, plus allow for other programming opportunities," Catterall said.

"Since launching in August 2015, Racing.com has essentially applied the same race-day broadcast model as TVN had implemented.

"This model was built exclusively around on-course hosting, and has served Victorian racing well for over 12 years.

"Our strategy has been to continue to improve race-day coverage, especially for weekday meetings and Sunday meetings from provincial venues, where our capacity to enhance on-course interviews with graphics and analysis tools for our hosts and form experts is limited by the outside broadcast format.

"To be clear, we will continue to have an on-course presence in our race-day coverage that will bring the all-important pre and post-race information from the track to our audience, while also better incorporating our race callers into the broadcast coverage."

The new race-day model aims to combine the best of on-course colour, atmosphere, interviews and personality with insight and analysis from the central studio, and entertaining programming throughout race day.

"We will continue to work closely with race clubs and the industry to deliver the best coverage for racing," Catterall said.

"The introduction of the studio for race day is a permanent change, but how we connect the studio with the race course, and what additional segments, tools, features and programs we develop will evolve with time.

"The establishment of the studio capability has been funded at no additional cost to the industry, as we have re-allocated existing investment for on-course facilities and resources to the central base."

Key Racing.com appointments to lead the new broadcast model are:

Greg Miles, General Manager - Broadcasting and Facilities: Greg has joined Racing.com from AFL Media and will oversee the entire channel, managing the studio and facilities;

Todd Gutsche, Head of Production: Todd will join Racing.com from Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP) and be responsible for race-day coverage, feature pieces and documentaries; and

Shane Anderson, Editor-in-Chief and General Manager - Content: Shane will lead the multi-platform content team across editorial, form and wagering analysis, social media and integration.

"Greg, Todd and Shane will be based at AFL House with staff of around 25 that include producers, directors, editors and journalists," Catterall said.

"The administration and digital teams will remain based at the current Racing.com offices in Flemington."

Racing.com will trial the implementation of a new race-day broadcast model utilising a central race-day studio, complemented by a reshaped on-course presence.

Key points around the changes to the Racing.com broadcast model:

The first day of the new coverage format will begin on Wednesday, August 2 which also coincides with the first day of the Racing.com coverage of South Australian racing;

For the month of August we will be trialling our new format and making changes as we learn more about what works best for our viewers;

Each day throughout the trial period our broadcast will feature: Live broadcast from the studio from 12pm to around 6pm for race day; Before The First - a preview show hosted from the studio with early wagering information and selections for the meetings being covered that day; Enhanced tools in studio for our form experts and hosts - The Analyser; Speed Maps; and timing information for metropolitan tracks; Studio-based host and at least one form expert every race day; The studio team will cross to on-course talent throughout the day, involving the race caller and on-course based journalist/presenter for the main meeting of the day, every day; Additional host and mounting-yard commentator on course for every Wednesday, Saturday, P1 Country Cup and Country Feature meetings; and South Australian meetings will feature a host and form expert every Wednesday, Saturday and Country Cup and Feature meeting;

Our on-course resources will capture interviews with trainers, jockeys and participants, and provide on-the-ground insights to our audience across broadcast, digital and social media platforms.

Mounting-yard coverage will remain a feature of our broadcast for the main meeting of the day.

Night racing does not begin again until September 29 and our current planning is that the on-course hosting model for Thursday and Friday nights will remain as per 2016/17 season;

New segments built into race day and After The Last, covering news, results, trackwork and tips;

After The Last - commencing August 5, the introduction of a new daily program from the studio called After The Last, which will run for 60 minutes Monday to Wednesday and 30 minutes Thursday to Sunday. It will be a mix of news, opinion, feature interviews and form talk;

Key form program Get On remains on Thursday nights and an extended Before The First remains on Saturday morning, along with the daily Race Day Review programming; and

All programs will have greater audience engagement through social media integration in the coverage.

The first week of the enhanced Racing.com race day program schedule:

Wednesday August 2

Before The First:

Brent Zerafa, Clint Hutchison and James Jordan preview racing from Sale and Morphettville.

Race Day:

Studio - Brent Zerafa and Clint Hutchison

Sale on course - Jayne Ivil, Grace Ramage and Adam Olszanski

Morphettville on course - Jason Richardson, James Jordan and Tim Edwards

Thursday August 3

Before The First:

Brent Zerafa and Ben Asgari preview racing from Racing.com Park Pakenham.

Race Day:

Studio - Brent Zerafa and Ben Asgari

Racing.com Park Pakenham on course - Brad Bishop and Matthew Hill

Friday August 4

Before The First:

Brent Zerafa and David Gately preview racing from Warracknabeal.

Race Day:

Studio - Brent Zerafa and David Gately

Warracknabeal on course - Kevin Casey and Adam Crettenden

Saturday August 5

Before The First:

Brent Zerafa, Clint Hutchison and Ben Asgari preview racing from Flemington and Morphettville.

Race Day:

Studio - Brent Zerafa and David Gately

Flemington on course - Jason Richardson, Jayne Ivil and Matthew Hill

Morphettville on course - Shane Anderson, James Jordan and Tim Edwards

After The Last:

Brent Zerafa and Clint Hutchison review the racing news of the day.

Sunday August 6

Before The First:

Shane Anderson, Clint Hutchison and Dean Pettit preview racing from Ladbrokes Park Lakeside (Sandown) and Naracoorte.

Race Day:

Studio - Shane Anderson, Clint Hutchison and Dean Pettit

Ladbrokes Park Lakeside (Sandown) on course - Adam Olszanski, Jayne Ivil and Matthew Hill

Naracoorte on course - Mark Mathews

After The Last: Shane Anderson and Clint Hutchison review the racing news of the day.

Monday August 7

Before The First:

Matthew Hill and Warren Huntly preview the meeting from Swan Hill.

Race Day:

Studio - Matthew Hill and Warren Huntly

Swan Hill on course - Kevin Casey and Rick McIntosh

After The Last: Shane Anderson and the Racing.com team with the latest racing news, opinions and interviews.

Tuesday August 8

Before The First:

Brent Zerafa and David Gately preview the meeting from Racing.com Park Pakenham.

Race Day:

Studio - Brent Zerafa and David Gately

Racing.com Park Pakenham on course - Brad Bishop and Adam Olszanski

After The Last: Shane Anderson and the Racing.com team with the latest racing news, opinions and interviews.