I'm not too bothered who they get presenting really, although I think if they get rid of Nick Luck that's a bit of a shame as I think he has done a pretty good job. its the dross that surrounds him that is more of the problem. I am not too impressed by ITV taking over though - I think it is a backward step by racing with most of the meetings being shown on ITV4, and if the ratings for the ones they show on ITV1 continue to be bad (as I think they will be) then expect all meetings with the possible exception of Cheltenham and the Grand National to be shown on ITV4 (at best) within a couple of years. My main problem with ITV4 is that I can't get HD on the channel which for racing really does help to make the action clearer.
I'm surprised Ant and Dec haven't been mentioned on this thread yet given it is Itv we are talking about!!!
Hoping ITV find their balls and appoint Matt Chapman at the head of all of this. Then again, this is the company that wanted to improve charisma and chose Glenn Hoddle as the upgrade to Andy Townsend
I want Chappers. Whether you like his style or not he is the only interviewer who asks direct questions and drives for direct answers. Personally, when they speak to a trainer, i want to know how the horse is physically, what conditions will do to the horse and how confident they are about it's winning chances. The rest, for me, is fluff. He asks those questions. He is also seemingly well liked by a large number of the trainers, jockeys and owners and that comes across in his interviews. I really enjoy his style. Sign him up.
Disappointing that Simon Holt has not been kept on by ITV as he is by far the best TV racing commentator http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=20357224&category=0
Every now and again I chase down a race call made famous in Oz way back in 1970. The great Bert Bryant had the pleasure of calling one of the more memorable races in Australian horse racing. It was a match race between Rain Lover, the winner of the previous 1968 - 9 Melbourne Cups and the Cummings trained Big Philou, a horse nobbled when favourite for the 1969 race. He had to be withdrawn 39 minutes before the race. Big Philou had been backed in doubles to take out the Caulfield - Melbourne Cup double for half a million dollars, huge money in those days. He won the first leg on protest. Bookies were shuddering. Another favoured runner, Tails, was also nobbled in the 69 cup. Tails wasn't as badly hit, and he looked ok, but after race testing found that he'd nailed as well. He started favourite and ran a monster of a race considering that he'd been poisoned. The link below is Bert Bryant's legendary call of the clash when Rain Lover and Big Philou finally met in the 1970 running of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington. http://www.racerate.com/1970 MATCH RACE OF CENTURY BIG PHILOU RAIN LOVER.mp3
I agree, at least it will keep racing on terrestrial TV, but I dont expect the coverage to be as good. I know there was a lot of criticism after the channel 4 relaunch but they have been doing a good job recently in my opinion. Expect the criticism to exceed the criticism received after the channel 4 relaunch in 2013.
Race caller Bert Bryant interviewing Adelaide jumps jockey Les Boots. http://www.racerate.com/Les Boots.mp3
December 27th: Whoever does the TV listings on Freeview clearly does not know much about racing or geography. It reads “The final day of Channel 4 Racing features the Welsh National from Kempton Park and the Desert Orchid Chase from Chepstow. Plus, a look back at 30 years of top class horse racing on 4.” Those of us that have been going to the races for thirty years or more know that the people that run racing take us for granted, all the changes targeted solely at youngsters. I hope that ITV are not taking us for granted when their coverage starts and just producing dumbed-down TV to try and maximise the ratings because they have paid over the odds for the product.
