- This topic has 42 replies, 22 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 5 months ago by
.
- Posts
The only surprising thing about this news is that it has taken so long for the recommendation that the Derby should be ditched from the ‘ crown jewels ‘ and I have never understood why a sport such as horse racing should have two events in it.
Unlike Rugby Union? Maybe it would be understandable to have all Wales matches in the six nations on the list if Gareth , JPR, Barry John & Co were still playing, but currently?
And the Rugby Union World Cup in it’s entirety?Incidentally, does anyone know why the BBC have not set up a digital sports channel? Or possibly even two or three?
You’ve got to be having a laugh surely Andrew? What would they put on them? Bowls? Snooker? World Paralympics Championships?
Neither Royal Ascot nor the Cheltenham Festival are protected, but there is virtually zero chance of them disappearing off terrestrial screens, ditto the Derby whether it is on the protected list or not.
It should be reduced to a one dayDERBY DAY
‘super saturday’ comprising Derby, Oaks, Coronation Cup, two open-ceiling handicaps, and a Group1 sprint over 5f with the latter promoted along the lines of ‘will the 5f world record be broken?’ ‘come and see if history is made’ blah blah
May concentrate the minds of the public-at-large, those responsible for deciding what should be the free-to-air ‘crown jewels’, and encourage the BBC/C4 to cough up decent money to keep it
Neither Royal Ascot nor the Cheltenham Festival are protected, but there is virtually zero chance of them disappearing off terrestrial screens, ditto the Derby whether it is on the protected list or not.
I wouldn’t neccesarily agree with that if The Derby is put up for auction and Sky are the biggest bidders, if they are, maybe some assurance should be sought that it appears on Sky Sports News and thus is available on Freeview as has occurred in the past with the English & Irish Greyhound Derbys.
It’s questionable whether a Group 1 5f sprint would receive enough patronage to make it worthwhile. The Temple was poorly supported the one recent time it was run there, although that wasn’t helped by the tape start!
[You’ve got to be having a laugh surely Andrew? What would they put on them? Bowls? Snooker? World Paralympics Championships?]
That sounds great, it could be bolstered by endless repeats of the Six Nations, Formula 1, The Grand National and, er… darts!
Perhaps coverage of ‘great’ historical sporting moments could also be included – like those rallycross races that used to be on Grandstand.
Drone wrote:
"It should be reduced to a one day DERBY DAY ‘super saturday’ comprising Derby, Oaks, Coronation Cup, two open-ceiling handicaps, and a Group1 sprint over 5f with the latter promoted along the lines of ‘will the 5f world record be broken?’ ‘come and see if history is made’ blah blah"
Much as I hate to admit it Drone, (in a sense of it should never have come to this), you’re right.
We sacrificed the real Derby Day on the altar of panic. Now, something as brutal and obvious as this may be the way to salvage the specialness of it.
Indeed, should have made it clear those proposed changes are not what I’d personally want.
Quite content with Sandown’s Temple/Henry II meeting then four days at Epsom: a jolly old way to waste away a week in sarf London.
Realism required unfortunately.
Oh well; we’ll still be able to watch curling on terrestrial telly when it’s part of the Winter Olympics….must get our priorities right, I suppose.
And what, exactly, is wrong with curling. That night the Scottish housewives won the gold was edge of the seat stuff. Goodness me, even the birdwatchers group in Northampton (where I lived at the time) were all heading strait home to watch it live. Great Sport and so is that cross country snowboarding a bit like a cross between the National, Badminton and The White Turf at St Moritz.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.