I know a thread was done a few weeks ago on this, but I wanted to say I don't agree with all the decisions made by Channel 4 Racing. http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-announces-horseracing-team Clare Balding is the best recruit from the BBC so As for Rishi Persad, he won't be an improvement on Alistair Down IMO. And as for Mick Fitzgerald - - to think he'll be replacing John Francome - ridiculous decision... Alistair Down and John Francome should be part of the 2013 team. But I'm glad Big Mac won't be...
I think it's a crime that Fat Al can't get a role on the new team - the guy is so knowlegeable and passionate about racing (particualrly NH) I don't see anyone being an upgrade on him. Rishi is a joke and most probably know why he got the gig, same Emma Spencer. John Francome ruled himself out
Francome had already announced that he was quitting, so was unavailable for selection by the new regime. The new man taking over at Channel 4 Racing was from the BBC, so he was always going to bring the faces with him. As they need to attract advertising revenue, they were going to ignore the demographics just like the rest of commercial television and ditch the old folks in favour of the young faces. So there will be people that us old fossils do not recognise, but as I only follow the flat, I will not be the first person on here in January with a shirt-lifting joke about Clare Balding and I expect that she will not smoke cigars on air. Big Mac may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he does strike a chord with the working class man-in-the-street punter, which is the vast majority of the people whose betting funds The Levy and, therefore, the sport. Those that have been jettisoned by Channel 4 will doubtless find work with “Racing UK” and “At The Races”, or just in print elsewhere. As I will not pay for anything that features advertising on principle, I will only hear about their ventures on here. Racing will not accept that it is a minority sport and that other sports such as football are competing for the prawn sandwich brigade so the situation is certain to get worse before it gets better. In 2013 I will attend less racing than I have done in the last twenty five years but I will be no loss to ‘Racing For Change’ if they can get a few youngsters in to splash their cash instead. C’est la vie.
after seeing how impressive Alistair Down was at Cheltenham this weekend and to think that he will be replaced by Rishi Persad for the festival doesn't bear thinking about. Big Mac - I think he probably was past it for the afternoon coverage but I think it is a shame that a smaller role couldn't have been found for him on the Morning Line each week. The other big loss I think is probably Derek Thompson - his enthusiasm for the sport always came across, something that I think will be missing from now on.
