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I’d hold my own against that reality star boy and one or two others when it comes to Racing knowledge past and present,
Let’s face it Mike, the reality star boy isn’t really on the prog’ for his racing knowledge past and present.
That said; I used to have the honour of being in a four man team taking on the great and good of our wonderful sport in an annual Racing Quiz held at Oaksey House Lambourn. Great fun. Our West Berkshire Racing Club A team took on the Freelance 4 (including Mike Cattermole and Geoff Lester), Richard Phillips 4 (including the funny trainer himself and sometimes AP McCoy), Racing Post (including Craig Thake, Lee Mottershead and Graham Dench), Raceform (incl. David Bellingham) and Clive Cox team (incl. the trainer and John Francome).
We did hold our own and actually won a few times. But it certainly gave me a greater respect for Racing “personalities” knowledge of our sport..
Value Is EverythingThey need to let go of AP, Fitz, Brian and the cardboard cutout.
AP good jockey going through the motions in front of camera
Fitz talks absolute nonsense, Brian trying to imitate big mac.
Cardboard cutout doesn’t take a genius to work out whom I’m talking about, idiot in a suit.
Chapman makes valid points and gets ignored.
Ruby must get paid big bucks to work with this shower.
The point though is what does ITV Racing want to be which is very different from what we may want it to be.
ITV might well argue if you’re a serious racing fan you have the options of SSR and RUK and they aren’t competing with them.
Their offering is pitched at a wider and shallower level – primarily for those for whom horse racing is a minor interest not a major hobby or obsession. That’s why you get the fashion tips, the nice stories and Chris Hughes.
I don’t subscribe to RUK but the problem across all racing broadcasts is the limitations all face when it comes to direct criticism of the significant participants. Let’s be honest – you very rarely hear a real critique of a ride or of a trainer – it’s often coded or couched. The fear is if jockeys or trainers decide they no longer want to interact with that media platform the whole coverage will suffer.
If all the jockeys refused to talk to ITV, the coverage would be diminished (some might say improved but I wouldn’t). The contract between the participants and the broadcasters (unwritten or otherwise) mutes criticism but affords an access you don’t often see in other sports coverage.
The other aspect of RUK/SSR coverage is they are mandated to show every race from their respective courses no matter how minor so your Group/Grade 1 gets cut away after the race to the Class 6 seller. ITV cherry-pick the best of the day’s races (which perhaps creates a false impression of quality). Even so, the coverage of the “away” races is extremely varied – sometimes it’s good, other times it’s cursory at best. As they rarely have a presenter at the away meeting, it’s all done remotely from the main venue.
They are also over-staffed as last weekend showed – why couldn’t one of the “team” have been anchoring the coverage at Lingfield? Let’s face it – neither Ruby nor AP are going to offer much insight to a 6-furlong sprint so that leaves Mick F or no one.
I suppose cardboard cutout daren’t turn sideways !
Stodge you make some pretty full and fair points. As for the vexatious question of Lingfield – I have always found the car park attendant to be very knowledgeable.
I wouldn’t blame anyone – jockey, trainer or owner – for declining to talk to ITV Racing or any of the rest of the media, come to that.
For me, televised broadcasts have had their day and I didn’t watch any of the racing on ITV this weekend.
I am not interested in any of their opinions and the real betting volume nowadays is at Betfair Exchange – there is no professional money at the track.
The actual races themselves are all I want to watch and I can do that simply by having a funded account with Betfair.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"With respect, Ian, that’s the view of a serious and knowledgeable punter and that’s NOT ITV Racing’s target audience.
The numbers for whom racing is a serious business pale into insignificance beside those for whom it is an occasional interest and it’s the latter group ITV needs to get. The former have SSR and RUK and as you say the real professionals probably eschew those as well.
Even SSR, which is available to anyone with Sky, has drifted to the ITV style of coverage. I saw Luke Harvey and his cameraman running round Plumpton on Monday trying to talk to anyone and everyone about anything and everything. I presume it’s trying to convey a sense of the atmosphere of a day at the races to those who cannot be there.
Britain has a large elderly population and for all top many a day at the races is physically impossible – the next best thing is to be part of it vicariously through television. If providing that outlet helps people, who are we to knock it?
Fair comment.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“The real betting volume nowadays is at Betfair Exchange – there is no professional money at the track.”
I wonder why some bookmakers bother standing at the track. The amount of money being traded is pitiful.
Aintree on the Saturday before last was a good example. There was a large crowd but the bookies were just taking £2, £5 and £10 bets. I doubt there were many for the sort of stakes they are interested in.
Still, at least good old Pinno was there…
They take recreational money and most hedge even that straight onto Betfair, locking in a tiny guaranteed profit on every bet.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Stodge, I agree with much of what you’ve posted above. You’ll find very similar said by me, and a few others, further up this thread.
I think ITV do a decent job on the whole in trying to bring the sport to a wider audience. Adding Chris Hughes to the team seems like a very good idea to me. He obviously enjoys racing, and the sport needs to attract young people.
I’ve seen posters saying previously that they aren’t really bothered about whether the sport can attract new people. I think it’s absolutely crucial in order for the money to keep flowing in. Otherwise we’ll end up with rubbish racing and weak betting markets, and everyone who is interested in racing loses.
Stodge, I am one of those old and infirm people who can no longer go racing but I have no desire to see Lou Carvey and his camera team running around Plumpton (or anywhere) trying to get ‘words of wisdom’ from well-known faces. It is not something I ever did at a racecourse and my feeling is that not many racegoers did either.
My time at the course was spent looking at horses, something that can only be done by going racing.
I think it is wrong that TV bosses think they know what the viewer wants when probably very few of them are racing fans.
Good post CB.
I wonder if TV bosses actually speak to the public for feedback on the programme? Can’t say the format of ITV racing has changed much if at all since it started.
Any estimates on viewer numbers now compared to when it started anyone?There’s a two and a half hour slot to fill. It seems they ply the programme with as many presenters as they can to share the load. Quantity over quality.
Colin, you clearly know your stuff about racing, whereas I’d suggest ITV are trying to cater for a much broader audience.
Personally I’d rather see more of the horses as well, but I strongly suspect ITV’s content will have undergone plenty of scrutiny to ensure it is meeting their aims. In all likelihood something on a major channel like ITV will have been focus grouped to exhaustion.
I doubt what most of the people posting on this forum would want to see would make the most appealing program for whatever audience and advertisers ITV are aiming for.
Colin thank you…you just made me smile when I realised who Lou Carvey was.. 😉 and agreed like you I have no interest in anything other than the horses and any thoughts from their trainer regarding it’s chances of winning … that’s before the race not after it.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...It has to be said
So I will say it
Colin Phillips is the real star of this forum.
He’ll never win a fookin prize
But by gum, I’ll say that again – by bloody gum
He deserves it !
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