so only 1.5 million watched the Derby on Saturday. that is a shame but I don't actually think that is the fault of channel 4 (although I much preferred their old coverage to how it currently is) my view is that the race itself is the problem. basically hardly anyone knows about it anymore. I walked into my office this morning and said where I had gone on Saturday and there were just shrugs of indifference. I havent actually met anyone yet who watched it, let alone who could tell me who won it! Had I said that I had been to the Grand National I am sure that there would have been interest though. The channel 4 figures are holding up for that race, and so it is the race not the channel that has to be seen as the problem. I also don't think that the fact that the Derby being moved to a Saturday is an issue, it is probably the one thing that has saved the race. I think we would have seen a much steeper decline in the Derby had it been kept on a Wednesday. In the modern world people are just not going to take a day off and head to Epsom Downs on a Wednesday afternoon. basically other sports are getting more coverage now and horse racing is retreating to being even more of a minority sport than ever. an example: there is a column in the London Evening Standard which previews the weekend's TV sport each Friday - last week this column did not even mention the Derby!! There was mention of football, rugby, tennis, motor racing but nothing about one of racing's great days. I do think if more people were aware of the event that they would go to it - there just isn't that awareness these days.
I put the blame on the racing authorities and also Channel 4. The former decided that the BBC shouldn't be able to cherry pick which racing they wanted to show. They gave the tv rights to Channel 4, and created a situation where racing was interrupted for adverts, mainly of betting companies, and comes across as a program for betting people only. The show is poor and boring and worst of all, they aren't advertising the sport very well, look at the mediocre way they put the Derby forward (caught three adverts), and I have barely seen an advert for Royal Ascot. The BBC did put racing forward, they advertised it, they made it an event for all the family and they pulled viewers in. Channel 4 have failed to do any of that. As for the Derby. 120, 000 of us made the trip, and most probably had a great day. That is full credit to Epsom racecourse and the Jockey Club, rather than to the sport in general and those who are running it into the ground.
It certainly was a great day as usual on Saturday. I can't help but feel thought that Epsom Downs racecourse is trying to make this a pay only event these days and dissuading people from attending on the hill - crowds looked very sparse on the hill this year. And what a mess they appear to have made of the Lonsdale enclosure - instead of a stand at the winning post there is now a tent - looks stupid! I think in the future we will continue to see a reduction in the number of people on the hill, whilst attendance in the grandstands will probably hold up. this will be clearly be a detriment to the race as the USP of the Derby is that it has the largest infield attendance for any horse race.
Do they still have the fairgound? I remember when I was young there was a strip tease and, as a curious youngster, I paid my 2 shillings (or whatever it was) and ventured in. Never again.
Nah I'd be sure someone on my party would have found it if it had Good day Nass out? Turned out a gorgeous day, so much for the thunderstorms that were forecasting a few days back. I'm back with a tan from it!
Yeah it was a grand day out. If only the supporting card could be better, it might actually be the best flat days racing in the UK. A proper racecourse though, none of that malarkey that Ascot has got with being up itself.
Channel 4 Racing has been terrible for well over a year now but the Executives continue to do nothing to counteract this. Even in the face of massively falling ratings. That is what I can’t understand. Instead they opt to continue pumping out the same old tired, boring drivel. Old boy Jim McGrath, Simon Holt and the lovely, and I do mean lovely, Ems Spencer apart I’d sack the lot of them. Graham Cunningham is the worst pundit I’ve ever seen on any sport, Gina Bryce seems robotic and dead behind the eyes, Richie Persad...well what on earth can you say apart from ‘what is point? what is point?’, Alice Plunkett is yet to say anything remotely insightful, whilst Mick Fitzgerald is just basically boring and clueless and having him in the ‘John Francome role’ is like replacing The Arsenal in the Premier League with Chippenham Town. I’ve never been on Derby Day and given the fact that I’m allergic to Cockneys can’t see that fact changing anytime soon.
It's fine and dandy to kick those commenting on the racing, but it doesn't negate the fact that most people want nothing to with the sport. They find it as boring as bat ****. I suppose it's fair to suggest that the game can't stand alone, it needs the support of the punter. So we end up with a closed circle. Racing needs the punter, the punter needs racing, and the rest of humanity doesn't give a flying ****.
But squire, you surely would be in the Queens Stand, you wouldn't be shuffling with the jellied eels crew. Saying that, you wouldn't want to get your topper mucky before the Royal meeting would you?
Good point. It would be the height of impropriety to be exchanging pleasantries with either King Philip or Princess Camilla, next week, whilst openly displaying a mucky topper.
depends if you are eating a horse burger with the Princess Royal though. If so, then the mucky topper is probably ok.
Now that's why I've got this fecking problem with you, Sir Barney! Just kidding! Actually, I've always had this terrible allergy with Toffs, that's why I went to Royal Ascot just once in a long life. Never seen so many dicks in all my life eating fancy grub from the boots of rented RollsR autos, and not knowing a flying f***k about horseracing. Women wore interesting hats though. Epsom was always quite different, IMHO.
Haven't been to the Cheltenham Festival that many times, but the racing there is certainly the best in the world. Just a bit crowded though!
Swanny, I've always say that when it comes to a racing audience knowing nothing about horse racing nothing beats Cheltenham on Cheltenham Gold Cup day. I’ve been twice and never again. The majority of people there were roaring drunk by 1 o’clock and seemed to have no idea, throughout the afternoon, that racing was taking place outside the bars.
I think that just about sums up my view also Barney, I would probably cut Alice Plunkett some slack as I think she is not all that bad, I do not have words for Fitzy however and what the person interviewing him for the role saw I have no idea. As for Epsom. I went to the Derby for around 10 years in a row but the last one I attended was the first time it was moved to a Saturday. Whilst I understood their decision for opening it out to the non- horse racing audience I noticed a distinct difference regarding the people there and a change in atmosphere, and didn't like it much. More drunks (which is the scourge of race day's now) and a loss of the ' we have all taken a day off work because we cannot miss this race atmosphere'. I can understand what you recall regarding Gold Cup day at Cheltenham, although I have attended Cheltenham many times I have always steered clear of the festival on account of the high suspicion it would turn out like you recall. I do like a drink but cannot abide drunkenness, especially when at the level of 'I can no longer stand nor speak, but still perfectly capable of starting a fight'. I used to actually always attend the New Years day fixture as hardly any drinking going on as most were nursing hangovers from New Years eve.
I did not see the Derby live (was in Glasgow having my final Commonwealth games volunteer training and uniform pick up). Recorded it which is a blessing as you can ff the adverts and boring bits. I'm not surprised the viewing figures are declining There are far too may dire ads disrupting the racing on tv now. Too little time seeing the horses go round the paddock, invariably you see one and they go to adverts. The pundits (or the 3 stooges in the box) are awful and would drive anyone to a serious drink problem. As far as the presenters went it was a done deal there was only 1 horse in the race (okay he won) and none of the others had a look in.
Proper racecourse???? The Worlds most prestigious race run round a track that bears a close resemblance to a helter skelter for horses. Its a joke track but damn good fun!
The track is meant to be the ultimate test of of a horse's balance. A well balanced horse should handle the course with no trouble, as many do. Some horses are not built to handle the track and the fact that some trainers haven't a clue until they they have run in the Derby, I find incredible.
