Racing: Raceform and the Racing Post linked

RACEFORM, THE producers of racing's official formbooks, are considering a marriage with the Racing Post. Mirror Group Newspapers, the owners of the Racing Post, have made proposals that could see them joining forces with Raceform in the next few weeks. Also on the negotiating table is the possibility of MGN taking over Raceform. Further discussions between the parties will take place before a decision is made in the next two weeks.

"We've put proposals to them and it's up to them to come back to us," said Racing Post editor Alan Byrne. "Several things could happen. Racing Post and Raceform might form a joint alliance or Racing Post could buy out Raceform. There is also a chance Raceform will decide to stay as they are and not join up with us."

Both parties stressed yesterday their respective publications would continue unchanged if they did forge an alliance. Raceform, set up in the 1930s, moved from a base at Battersea, London to Compton, Newbury, in 1989.

Fears a partnership with the Racing Post would result in job losses were allayed by Raceform's managing director James de Wesselow. He said. "We're looking for expansion. I want to stress it was the Mirror Group/Racing Post which approached us. The deal will not mean us leaving Compton. But it does give us a degree of security and will give us the resources to realise our ideas about electronic publishing."

Hyperion's selections for Sunday's meetings will appear in The Independent On Sunday