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Radio 4’s Today programme has shocked listeners by revealing the end of a nearly 50-year tradition of having daily horse racing tips.

On this morning’s show, host Amol Rajan, unexpectedly announced that starting today it would ‘break the tradition’ of giving out the tips each day.He added that from now on it would instead ‘reserve’ the tips for only the ‘biggest days in the racing calendar’.But the decision sparked an immediate backlash from listeners who branded the decision ‘very sad’ and a ‘win for joyless puritans’.One well-placed industry source, speaking to the Mail, blamed the ‘PC brigade’ who had ‘always hated it’, saying there were figures at the BBC who felt it was not ‘appropriate’.’We will very much continue to cover horse racing, as we do so many other sports, not least through interviews with leading lights ithe racing world.’And we will sometimes continue to broadcast from the big-ticket events like the Grand National festival, or Cheltenham Gold Cup week.’But the announcement sparked an unhappy reaction from listeners.

One wrote on X: ‘How sad that BBC Radio 4 Today have apparently ditched the racing tips. Another sign of racing moving from the centre of the national conversation. And another win for joyless puritans.’

Another added: ‘BBC Radio 4 has abandoned its daily horse racing tips. They were never any good but it kept racing relevant, something that is proving harder and harder these days. Very sad.’

One industry source told Mail: ‘I think it’s just the PC brigade, they have always hated it. My guess, from the slightly curled lip you get from people, is they just don’t think it’s appropriate.’

They believed there was an element of snobbery in the decision.

There was also speculation about whether the decision is linked to the forthcoming departure of Today’s long serving sports presenter Garry Richardson.