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By my reckoning the programme has at least 15 people competing for air time – surely that is too many. I sometimes wonder if ‘GG’ is only there for his initials. I agree with the comments about Plunkett although I would say her questions are no more or less incisive than Bob Cooper who everyone else seems to think is wonderful. I am sure many of those within the sport actually enjoy being interviewed by them because when you add it up after five minutes they have probably said absolutely nothing of any use. Stevenson, Spencer, Plunkett and Graham are all lightweights. Let’s face it all Tanya does is interpret a laptop and occasionally manage to string a sentence together. Now and again Graham will do a little bit of verbal jousting with Thommo usually on the subject of knitwear. Spencer is like a fashion accessory. When we had Tara over here I used to think Piggott was reasonable – is she still presenting?
I appreciate what people are saying, but as I’ve said, the opinion of non-racing folk I’ve spoken to is not that they regard McCririck as a pantomime baddy they love to hate, but rather as someone they just hate and they would be more likely to change the channel instantly if he appeared than to linger and watch the next race.
I agree that racing should be doing its best to publicise itself but I just don’t see how McCririck does that. He plays a sexist, old-fashioned and thoroughly unpleasant character and I cannot see how this would appeal to anyone.
Even though I was heartily sick of the pre-Gold Cup hype (though God knows it wasn’t as tedious as the post-Gold Cup squabbles) I can see that that is something people outside the sport might latch onto. Likewise Best Mate’s three Gold Cups, Norton’s Coin, Dettori’s seven winners, the careers of Desert Orchid and Red Rum, the Grand National etc. I simply can’t believe that anyone would watch McCririck’s performance, on C4, Celebrity Big Brother or any other show and think to themselves, "Hey, he seems like a fun kind of bloke….maybe I’ll watch the 3:15 from Wolverhampton."
But I actually think he could do a good job of attracting people – I take AP’s point that his expertise is relative, but to non-racing people, if he came across as someone who was I don’t know, even slightly likeable, his surface level knowledge of the sport would be perfectly acceptable and he could convey the excitement of the betting ring, or more particularly, being at a racecourse.
Exactly the same thing happened ten years back with John Oaksey, except with a bit more dignity.
Well said. If memory serves Oaksey of that Ilk’s leaving of C4 involved no more than a gradual winding down of his appearances culminating in him quietly wandering off into the sunset. No fuss, no long goodbyes, no moist-eyed eulogies.
Don’t know of course but knowing the decorous nature of the man it’s easy to imagine that’s just how he wanted it
A dignified McCririck – the ultimate oxymoron
All entertainment events are about bums on seats,
horseracing is a minority sport, only 8% of the population have a bet once a week,
RUK have got about 25K subscribers, the population is 65M,
last week 2M people tuned into channel 4 cheltenham,
TML has 400K viewers, half hour later ATR & RUK combined about 30K
If I need publicity for a betting shop opening, what will be best?
an ATR RUK presenter for peanuts,
OR BIG MAC for a sizable fee
Perhaps you could open a shop on everyday that Channel 4 broadcast racing then Barry and surely everyone will be happy.
Ive always liked Big Mac and love seeing him at Sandown,Lingfield etc when he in a slanging match with Barry Dennis as they are always a good laugh.
Even on ATR duty he is pretty decent at analysing the form so is much more than a betting ring expert and as has been mentioned it is time to give some new blood a try,after all i bet some people where annoyed when Clare Balding took over from Julian Wilson but shes done ok.
Ive always believed that you may call for people like Tommo and Mac to be axed but you will miss them when they have gone.
glad he is going if he is the face of racing then i can see why people do not want to be involved. Racing has moved with the times and is being dragged into the years of obscurity again by the likes of mccririck.
The key to this decision may lie in which Saturdays McCririck will be absent from. On lesser Saturdays, when Channel 4 opt for quantity rather than quality, McCririck’s role is already much reduced in the afternoon programme. There is currently no suggestion that he will be absent from the midweek / major meetings when there is more filler time.
If Andrew Thompson really did not want McCririck on board, then he could have issued the ultimatum "take the pay cut or have the P45". For me, it is an inevitable, forward-thinking move (or as forward-thinking as you can be in terrestrial sports coverage these days)…
This is one way in which The Morning Line can get a much-needed refresh, it’ll be fascinating to see if other changes are afoot…
Exactly the same thing happened ten years back with John Oaksey, except with a bit more dignity.
Well said. If memory serves Oaksey of that Ilk’s leaving of C4 involved no more than a gradual winding down of his appearances culminating in him quietly wandering off into the sunset. No fuss, no long goodbyes, no moist-eyed eulogies.
Don’t know of course but knowing the decorous nature of the man it’s easy to imagine that’s just how he wanted it
A dignified McCririck – the ultimate oxymoron
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Oaksey’s last appearence may have been at Stratford for the Horse and Hound Cup about 2000. It was C4’s second or possibly third meeting that day, and I think they were covering just the one race. You’re right Drone, I don’t remember any send off, it was a very quiet departure.
The Dettoris, Mcrirck’s and Thommo’s of the industry are the ones who do that initial ‘marketing’ for the sport and I salute them for it. They keep many of us in jobs!
I agree. I first got into racing by seeing the Morning line when used to be getting ready for work on a Saturday morning. I can’t remember what they said but they were joking about something and found it hilarious so left it on, found it really good banter whenever switched it on again and so got me into racing. To which i am sooo grateful for as have gone on to experience and witness some fantastic, amazing racing which i’d not have had chance to see without that Saturday morning.
I then went on to meet Tommo at York first time i went and he was genuinely such a nice bloke and really does his bit to try and attract new faces to the sport. Like at Yarmouth during the summer, he makes the racing really exciting etc… given his commentary or GGs then i’m sure more people would remember Tommos commentary more and experience the experience better than the latter. That’s why i have a problem when so many people slate him. (Though this topic isn’t about him so i’ll move on. Just sad so many people would like to see the back of him.)
I’m sure the same is for McCririck, whenever have seen him at races he’s signing autographs, posing with people and chatting away to them.. i’m sure these people will remember their experiences more and return to the sport.Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Oaksey’s last appearence may have been at Stratford for the Horse and Hound Cup about 2000. It was C4’s second or possibly third meeting that day, and I think they were covering just the one race. You’re right Drone, I don’t remember any send off, it was a very quiet departure.
That’s how I remember it, too – he definitely did his last stint at Stratford, whatever year it was (looking back through the books to see when was the last time the Horse and Hound – under whatever name – was run in the afternoon rather than the evening might pin down the date).
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think Oaksey’s last appearence may have been at Stratford for the Horse and Hound Cup about 2000. It was C4’s second or possibly third meeting that day, and I think they were covering just the one race. You’re right Drone, I don’t remember any send off, it was a very quiet departure.
That’s how I remember it, too – he definitely did his last stint at Stratford, whatever year it was (looking back through the books to see when was the last time the Horse and Hound – under whatever name – was run in the afternoon rather than the evening might pin down the date).
gc
Channel 4 stopped the House and Hound (or Intrum Justicia?!) Cup because of Stratford’s allegiance to GG-Media, not because it went to an evening fixture. I remember at least one untelevised-afternoon renewal before the Horse and Hound evening fixture. I think it was Castle Mane’s win in 2000 as Oaksey was with GG who had then stepped down from the No1 commentator job by then.
As just about everyone has had their say here, then so will I.
I love the bloke (obviously not in a homo-erotic sense – that would be just silly) and without him, I wouldn’t have even considered horse racing. I ‘ve got no background in racing, no family connections and know very few people in real life who enjoy it (even now, you really have to search).
Yet, in 1983, in the days when Channel Four covered a thousand meetings a year because they had nothing else to broadcast, the big fella got me hooked.
On C4 racing, there was Brough Scott who was the straight man at the time. There was the urbane Oaksey. And then there was McCirick in the ring. This afternoon, he was discussing Morgans Choice in a race at Chester. He was ranting – gesticulating like a madman – about steamers and plots and jollies and top-of-the-head and how this horse was “expected” and that.
I was spellbound. He looked like an obese Sherlock Holmes and talked in a cut glass accent you didn’t get round my way. An old fashioned English eccentric from way back yonder.
I watched him the next day and the next and the next and within a fortnight I’d had my first bet on a racehorse. While I retain plenty of affection for Brough, for Oaksey and for Morgans Choice, I love McCirick.
Because without him, Dancing Brave, Zilzal, Warning, Young Inca, Desert Orchid, Everglades, Ghostzapper, Sir Percy and now, the magnificent Denman would be joys in someone elses life.
Hate him all you like – and the hatred in here surprises me, even for an anonymous board where hate comes easy – but take him away and you take away the curiosity of people like me. And racing needs all the support it can get.
I agree that racing should be doing its best to publicise itself but I just don’t see how McCririck does that. He plays a sexist, old-fashioned and thoroughly unpleasant character and I cannot see how this would appeal to anyone.
Perfectly put
Remeber that godawful moment when he asked the "female" at Sandown to "give us a twirl" (and she did….jesus)
I find Mac amusing from time to time but he does need to be taken in hand a bit to get anything worthwhile from him.
There`s plenty to criticise on C4 but surely it`s not nearly as bad as the
BBC who have not made one good acquisition in a decade.Incidentally, Mac`s BBC counterpart Loughran hopes to be back for
Aintree. On what basis?Punting shrewdie?
Tremendous character?
Easy on the eye?
Easy on the ear? ( Well he might be using his spare time attending
adult literacy classes)The BBC should never entertain using him again
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