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I agree only a single presenter is required, unless two big meetings are being covered in which case there is an argument for having a presenter at each course but two presenters at the same course is pointless.
Francome and McGrath are both past their "use by" date and there are plenty of other, better, paddock commentators out there.
As I said in a previous post Sean Boyce as the betting Guru
Apart from being eye candy (although I don’t find her particularly attractive myself) Emma Spencer is very lightweight and contributes very little – being eye candy is no justification for a role.
I would retain Nick, Alastair, Alice and Mike from the presentation team. I would also use Tommo at the big meetings for adding the "colour".
I don’t see the need for C4 to have their own commentators, just use the on-course commentary – (almost) all the commentators on the rosta are of good enough quality for C4.
If C4 were to use their own commentators then Simon and Richard would be the obvious main callers, with Stewart, David Fitz, Mark Johnson and Barty as the others.
Well, she’s not afraid to criticise people’s teeth in interviews or suggest winners are cheats if the win is convincing so hopefully we’ll get some refreshing interviews, if for example, her brother knocks in a fair price winner after a few duck eggs.
"Well dear, great win, joe punter didn’t need to know he wasn’t trying the last few runs, as long as we knew when he was due, great stuff"
Isn’t Stevenson romantically involved with producer Andrew Franklin, who has been replaced?
In which case she could leave.
First casualty is Francome, who says he won’t work with other than Franklin.
Alastair Down – still one of the best presenters in sport, though having revealed he has cancer not sure he will be around as much
Is this true? It’s the first I’ve heard of it.
First casualty is Francome, who says he won’t work with other than Franklin.
I was surprised to see Francome say he would be leaving. He is quoted as saying: "I will move on and find something else. I won’t be part of any new team if they ask me."
He has seemed jaded, fed up and lacking sparkle and interest for some time now so certainly won’t be missed by some.
If his reason for saying he will leave really is unswerving loyalty to Andrew Franklin rather than seeing the writing on the wall, I will be surprised and I take it with a pinch of salt. He probably knows that the cushy number he has got, with its hints of a cosy old-boy network, is likely to be challenged by the new team.
Clare Balding’s arrival will mean that the presenting bar will be raised considerably.
Francome’s cosy double act with Jim McGrath has got a bit tiresome.
Meanwhile, McCririck is holding out what could be a vain hope of being given a job. He has been out of favour for some time, after being sidelined in favour of Tanya and Tom Lee.
He says: "If anybody offers me a job, I’ll take it because I want to go on working. If they offer me a job, I’ll be there and pleased to take it but it is entirely up to them."
The exit of Francome looks set to be the first of many of the old guard. To be honest, the whole crew need a good shake-up to knock them out of their complacency.
For Highflyer to say that they wouldn’t rule out legal action against the decision to give the contract to IMG is ludicrous and would be doomed to failure.
For Highflyer to imply that, because Channel 4 Racing is in effect its baby and so therefore it should have had the new contract, is also unrealistic.
IMG may not have any horse racing coverage experience but there must have been good reasons why it was chosen ahead of Highflyer and Sunset+Vine.
It would be good to see some new faces but agree that some of the Channel 4 team deserve to keep their places.
One thing’s for sure. It looks likely to be a far bloodier and messier business than at first seemed the case.Highflyer do Racing UK if I am correct so how will this affect the relationship between the two channels which has been quite cosy for the last few years?
The Guardian is reporting that they C4 team will have to wait until after the Paralympics before any decision is made including Clare’s actually number of days to present each year.
no suprise that highflyer didnt win the tender as ch4 racing has been getting worse and worse in the last 2 years or so.
sadly i cant see the brilliant lydia hyslop joining the new team as miss balding wont put up with a more attractive female on the team and will,as with the bbc want to surround herself with lightweights like persad.OUT:
John Inverdale
Steve Cram
Matt BakerI disagree with Inverdale, Cram and Baker not getting kept. Cram is polished. Inverdale is a professional and frankly, Baker was giving gymnastics some excitement – I thought he was great.
It’s great that Balding will be on CH4. I agree with those who have said Mellish, Hyslop and Cunningham should come over to council telly too. But they will have to be careful with whom they match Balding. The chemistry between her and Ian Thorpe at the Aquatics Centre was interesting. She’s definitely one to be in charge, rightfully so given her authoritative delivery which the likes of T will not cope with, but how McGrath, Plunkett and Luck would deal with that remains to be seen!!! Watched Alex Hammond on At the Races from Bath today. Give her the Spencer shift – awesome!!!
Please keep Mellish, Hylsop and Cunningham away from C4 pleaseee, I wonder if Matt Chapman might try for a gig with them?
I would like to see David Fitzgerald as their main commentator and Martin Kelly and Sean Boyce as part of the team.
I am thinking maybe Highflyer won’t want the Racing UK Presenters like Luck working for another company.
While I agree that Clare Balding would be good for C4, I also get a feeling that the job could go to her head.
While I agree that Clare Balding would be good for C4, I also get a feeling that the job could go to her head.
Why should going from covering the Olympics with its colossal audience to covering a minority sport with a much smaller audience go to her head?
Copernicus proved that the world did not revolve around horse racing several centuries ago, although some people on here do not seem to realize the fact.Slightly concerned at the report in the Racing Post saying this will be IMG’s first time at doing racing, meaning there will be a lot of new people. Just hope that doesn’t mean it will be as bad as the relaunched At The Races.
While I agree that Clare Balding would be good for C4, I also get a feeling that the job could go to her head.
Why should going from covering the Olympics with its colossal audience to covering a minority sport with a much smaller audience go to her head?
Copernicus proved that the world did not revolve around horse racing several centuries ago, although some people on here do not seem to realize the fact.The Channel 4 racing job is a near-permanent one and horseracing is her primary subject, territory and comfort zone. This C4 job will be a walk-in-the-park for her dominant nature compared to the temporary but multi-faceted, more complex Olympics that required greater focus for the worldwide audience. Yes, she was fine at hosting the Olympics but with the smaller job at C4, her ego might inflate a touch. I hope I’m wrong
Fair point although I tend to think her professionalism, family and other work will keep her grounded.
It doesn’t bother me who is presenting the racing. The most important people in the equation are the camera men and commentator, although I can manage without the latter if necessary.
Most of the build up is made up of facts we already know, duff tipping from the pundits and the spectacle of someone trying to pass a guest jockey or trainer through the mangle in a vain attempt to wring any worthwhile information out regarding a horse’s chance. I once read that Jockeys and Trainers are only exceeded by Politicians in the ability to talk without actually saying anything. Watching Richard Hannon senior on C4 a couple of weeks ago ducking and diving questions regarding the pecking order of his 2 year old string was tedious and irritating, more so because he had already countered descriptions of a workmanlike performance by Toronado by declaring to The Racing Post that he might well be their 2000 Guineas horse next season. Why he couldn’t have just repeated or expanded on that to help the interviewer out and inform viewers who hadn’t perhaps read the piece was beyond me.
I would honestly rather cut the grass between races and let whoever waffle on the usual verbal Dihoryahhighhey
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Yes camera men are a very important point, however camera angles are even more important. Huge yes to lots more repayable head on cams!
….
Wee Willie to follow, I wonder ?
…I’d be more concerned Mick Fitzgerald might show up…
…regardless, we should champion this diversity in the wake of the Olympics, I mean, a sport funded by gambling, sponsored by muslim Dubai, and fronted by a lesbian…
…Danny Boyle missed a trick…
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