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C4 have entered into exclusive negotiations with Dubai Holdings about a two year deal to secure racing on terrestrial tv.
Great news this Steve.
Although I have both RUK and ATR, I appreciate some people either can’t afford or refuse to pay for these channels.
Channel 4 has been a credit to the industry for over 20 years, and the longer racing is broadcast live on the channel the better in my opinion.
Mike
A bit of a revamp wouldnt go amiss though, perhaps they could consult some of the forums and find out what we acctually want.
There is a hint of change in the following:-
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/horseracing … 28,00.html
Regards – Matron
I’d be interested to know how many potential holidaymakers to Dubai watch the Morning Line and C4 Racing.
Not really the right demographic I would have thought…
Dubai Holding apparently also owns the Tussauds Group and Travelodge, which makes a bit more sense.
As they look as if they are sponsored by Dubai Holdings, are they only going to cover Flat racing then? And the Dubai Festival and forget the NH?
The article reads as if editorial content will be unaffected, Andy. I presume that includes decisions on what meetings are covered.
There is the matter of what the C4 Racing viewer is most likely to want to watch. Whilst the likes of Zorro have bemoaned the fact here and elsewhere, it is indeed true that we are for the greater part pretty parochial in our viewing habits. To that end if Dubai Holdings has any sense that regular coverage of quality events at Nad Al Sheba et al this winter is going to find less favour than even low-grade handicaps at the second, lesser UK jumps card C4 Racing would otherwise cover, then you’d suspect they’re not going to entertain that to any great extent.
DH is approaching this venture as a group of businessmen, rather than as a group of Dubai racing evangelists.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)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.
Moving from the subject slightly, am I right in saying that in previous years (maybe not last), the Friday of the Ayr Gold Cup meeting was always shown on Channel 4.
Now, the Ayr Silver Cup is to be raced at twenty to five with no terrestrial coverage whatsoever. It was the same last week, with a £300,000 race at Doncaster not being shown on terrestrial tv when it always used to be.
What’s going on?
Mike
What a load of tosh on the front page of the Racing Post today. ‘SHEIKH COMES TO THE RESCUE’ Four or 5 other parties were keen to sponsor coverage.
Channel 4 and their commitment to sport, yeah, don’t make me laugh. Most of their sports coverage is on at silly o’clock in the morning. Years ago Saturday morning and afternoon was just sport; Morning Line, Motorsport, etc followed by the racing from 2:30/3:00 – 4:30/5:00. Now they can’t wait to get rid of the racing starting earlier than ever and finishing earlier than ever.
Dubai Holdings, Fantastic NOT – Yet more years of Channel 4 brown nosing Godolphin and Dettori. Thats all we want that is.
Yep, Nad Al Sheba can be expected to feature more prominantly (yawn).
I see the media rubbish has already began (see davidjohnson’s comment regarding Sheikh Mohammed coming to the rescue).
I really wish Godolphin and everything to do with them would take their entire operation to America and leave us to enjoy the traditional, grass roots stuff that we do here in the UK.
Moving from the subject slightly, am I right in saying that in previous years (maybe not last), the Friday of the Ayr Gold Cup meeting was always shown on Channel 4.
Now, the Ayr Silver Cup is to be raced at twenty to five with no terrestrial coverage whatsoever. It was the same last week, with a £300,000 race at Doncaster not being shown on terrestrial tv when it always used to be.
What’s going on?
Mike
The seeds were sown when they dropped terrestrial coverage of the classic trials in my opinion. Can’t be bothered with the opening day of the flat any more either.
Channel 4 used to be really good for racing but its poor now its following slowly in the footsteps of the BBC.
Thats a vague post Flash.
What do you mean by "traditional, grass roots stuff that we do here in the UK"?
Thats a vague post Flash.
What do you mean by "traditional, grass roots stuff that we do here in the UK"?
I mean meetings from Cheltenham, Newmarket, Ascot, Aintree, Sandown, Chester, Salisbury, Bangor etc, wherever, traditional British stuff (not necessarily all top class).
Ok major overseas stuff like the Arc fine, not a problem, even the Breeders Cup (though I’m not a fan too much dirt for me), not a problem.
What I do have a problem with is the avenue I can see being built. Before we know where we are there will be coverage of far more stuff from Dubai and to make way will be a few group race cards that terrestrial TV will no longer cover, then the expansion of winter racing in Dubai and no doubt some of the terrestrial jumping will suffer.
One thing leads to another either immediately or in time and either directly or indirectly and whatever the reasons / excuses / justification we’ll end up in that sort of situation before we know how we got there.
I don’t want it and I wouldn’t mind betting the majority of horse racing enthusiasts don’t either particularly the man in the street.
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