Grand National to start even later

[seabird]

Moe, there is evening racing throughout the summer. I feel sure that trainers have a regime that will cover a late-afternoon start.

[homersimpson]

There’s probably a jumps race nearly every day at this time of year at between 5.15 and 5.45 pm. Do any of these have obstacles taken out because of low sun? In fact is there any at Cheltenham a month before which has races at the same time of day with sunset at an earlier time. Same with the food and drink factor. Horses run every day at this time. It’s only an hour later so I don’t see a problem, unless like the guy on Twitter thinks the fairer sex is making the tea

[yeats]

Steeplechasing wrote:

Perhaps the most telling comment was from Peter Harvey, who used to be the chief reporter for the Liverpool Echo:

‘How sad. The Grand National used to dominate that day’s agenda, now it’s chasing it’

Thought that was the best quote myself but it’s nowhere near the race it was. They’ve tinkered endlessly with fences (Bechers Brook is laughable now) and even changed the distance to the detriment of the race. It’s more or less just another long distance chase these days albeit with great prize money.

Although there could be an increase in viewers initially it will never get the viewers back long term and frankly doesn’t deserve to.

Mess too much with the history and tradition and you lessen the attraction.

[graysonscolumn]

One thing I don’t think has been touched on yet is the potential effect on the extent of the mainstream television and radio coverage on the day.

Will either Channel 4 or Five Live still be kicking off their respective coverage on National day at the same times as currently, or perhaps now regard so doing as far too onerous and drawn-out a broadcast and cut to the thing little more than an hour before?

I’m particularly thinking of Five Live here. In the days of a National sometime between three and four, they had no issue with starting the build-up at midday and spending more time trackside than at any other sporting venue until after the race itself. Last year, as I sat listening to clumps of it in between racereading at Mollington Point-to-Point, they still kicked off at midday but seemed to be wearying a bit of the whole thing a little before the 4.15pm post time was reached. Next year, with an extra hour to fill beforehand, will they try to manufacture another hour’s worth of National-oriented material, or prefer to take in a couple of Premiership matches beforehand in their entirety?

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.

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