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I enjoy the coverage overall and can’t help wondering who it is aimed at when you think about that hour before the start of the first race coverage or those great pre recorded feature and interviews………..who cares about watching that apart from me certainly not your average C4 viewer. Thanks C4.
Quite right and that’s the whole problem with the relaunched Channel 4 Racing, with I believe a woman director or producer who knows nothing about the sport, and who is trying to sell it to non-racing people. Get the message – non-racing people aren’t watching and don’t care, focus on us true racing people and PLEASE PLEASE get rid of the post-race interviews they are so worthless.
I hope you’re not making the assumption that as a woman, the director would know nothing about sport!
Denise Large? She’s directed it for years hasn’t she? (and knows plenty about racing and sport in general)
No Denise Large is absolutely fine, its the person who replaced Andrew Franklin that’s to blame in my opinion.
I think the C4 programmes this year were boring and I can’t believe I’m writing this as I have been looking forward to it for months. Mistakes are annoying, especially the Lesley Graham gaff re Bobs Worth’s owners and the fact that McCrirrick insists on calling Burton Port Burton Point (I think even Alice Plunkett did this a couple of times).
Someone wrote that what’s his name seemed tentative when asking Ted Walsh for contributions – don’t know why as TW is as pleasant as can be and would talk to and give his opinion to anyone at the racecourse.
I noted CH4 missed the start of the RSA Chase. Their camera was focussed on the stands rather than the horses. Pretty poor in my opinion and I’d think someone got a rap for that boob. I agree their production is not as polished as it should be.
I noted CH4 missed the start of the RSA Chase. Their camera was focussed on the stands rather than the horses. Pretty poor in my opinion and I’d think someone got a rap for that boob. I agree their production is not as polished as it should be.
It’s a wonder Channel 4 weren’t showing Tommo working the crowd and getting them to do Mexican waves in the betting hall, or wherever.
Either that or having him or Alice going along the crowd nearest the fence and asking them what they had backed.
Not forgetting: "We’ll be back in just 60 seconds. Stay with us."Maybe reading too many critical threads on here has done it to me, but I found some faults in most of the C4 presenters this week. I mentioned Simon Holt in another thread – and I usually think he is the best member of the team.
He seemed rather flustered, stuttery and either too understated or over-dramatic. "Big Bucks will have to fight LIKE HE HAS NEVER FOUGHT BEFORE" was going a little too far as he strode three lengths clear!
I think the presenters are complacent that their jobs are secure. They probably
ARE
secure though. Can you think of any out-of-work racing people who would do better?
Maybe reading too many critical threads on here has done it to me, but I found some faults in most of the C4 presenters this week. I mentioned Simon Holt in another thread – and I usually think he is the best member of the team.
He seemed rather flustered, stuttery and either too understated or over-dramatic. "Big Bucks will have to fight LIKE HE HAS NEVER FOUGHT BEFORE" was going a little too far as he strode three lengths clear!
I think the presenters are complacent that their jobs are secure. They probablyARE
secure though.
I’ve been amazed by the criticism of Simon Holt this week. Normally, he is the one member of the team who is universally praised. Haven’t even started watching the four days of videoed coverage yet but will be watching the cross country race with interest after the accusations elsewhere that he seemed to lose it completely.
I dread to think who Channel 4’s Grand National commentary team will be: Simon Holt in the grandstand, Mike Cattermole for the old John Hanmer fences and Stewart Machin for Becher’s and Valentine’s? After the Catt’s previous undistinguished and much-criticised efforts for the racecourse National commentary team, it should be interesting.
No doubt Richard Hoiles and Mark Johnson would be first choices for the course commentary.Can you think of any out-of-work racing people who would do better?
They’ll be bringing back ex-BBC types John Hanmer and Tony O’Hehir for the National at this rate. And what will happen to Ian Bartlett if Channel 4 take over the National? Er, and Jim McGrath? Not forgetting Graham Goode, scandalously lying idle at the age of 63 when Peter O’Sullevan went on until 79?
Paddock interviews by Jonathan Powell or Robin Gray?Ive been wrong thousands of times, however I noticed Fat Al "bigging" Simon Holt up on C4 this afternoon. This method is normally used when someone is ready for the proverbial chop. Does Fat Al know something we dont
I think at the moment there are too many commentators for the meetings and opportunities available.
The duplication of racing channels means additional opportunities but there are still too many front-of-camera people for what is really on offer.
IF C4 become the only terrestrial fame in town showing 1-2 meetings per Saturday, how many presenters/commentators will they really want or need?
Agree with the consensus that the usually reliable Simon Holt seems a bit off his game at times this week (the X-Country was not his finest hour), but hopefully this was maybe a bad day(s) at the office rather then the start of a J A McGrath style deteriation.
The fact that there are many huge fields across the week means that the commentary duties should be shared (like with the course commentaries where Hoiles/Johnson/Catt alternate between races).
Agree with the consensus that the usually reliable Simon Holt seems a bit off his game at times this week (the X-Country was not his finest hour), but hopefully this was maybe a bad day(s) at the office rather then the start of a J A McGrath style deteriation.)
Simon Holt has been getting a real pasting on another forum, with repeated threads about him needing glasses and generally being hopeless.
It’s been positively restrained on here. It’s a shame because I think he generally does an excellent job. Talk about him being in decline and it being the beginning of a Jim McGrath-style deterioration is ridiculous.
His racing features and stable visit interviews are usually good and he is another wordsmith.i thought it was shoddy at times agree simon holt commentating on the cross country was poor and plunkett was poor at times if i remember corectly she said hurricane fly beat binocular easy in last years champion hurdle to my knowledge binocular didnt run in last years champion hurdle but i suppose we all make mistakes
It needs freshening up.
The nondescript Tom Lee and tongue-tied Tanya would be first out the door and I now agree with those who say that it’s time to pension off John McCririck. He’s become a pre-historic irrelevance.
I would ditch Lesley Graham and the two hooray-henriettas ( Emma Spencer and Alice Plunkett ).
Francome has become stale and argumentative and Jim McGrath just looks totally disinterested now and gives the impression of going through the motions. I get the feeling that their noses have been put somewhat out of joint by Nick Luck.
For starters, I’d begin by replacing them with Clare Balding, Lydia Hislop, Graeme Cunningham and Steve Mellish. Richard Hoiles would be my commentator
I’d keep Nick Luck as the anchor man.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Agree with the consensus that the usually reliable Simon Holt seems a bit off his game at times this week (the X-Country was not his finest hour), but hopefully this was maybe a bad day(s) at the office rather then the start of a J A McGrath style deteriation.)
Simon Holt has been getting a real pasting on another forum, with repeated threads about him needing glasses and generally being hopeless.
It’s been positively restrained on here. It’s a shame because I think he generally does an excellent job. Talk about him being in decline and it being the beginning of a Jim McGrath-style deterioration is ridiculous.
His racing features and stable visit interviews are usually good and he is another wordsmith.Just to clarify, I’m not suggesting the normally excellent Mr Holt is on the decline (note my "bad day at the office" comment – we’ve all had them), just that I’m hoping it’s not the start of.
I’m sure it’s not and he’ll hopefully be back at his languid best soon.
From The Telegraph
Channel 4 seals stunning turnaround with £15m TV deal to cover racing next year
Racing is expecting Channel 4 to deliver an audience to match the BBC when the commercial television company takes over a contract for exclusive terrestrial coverage of the sport in Britain next year.
By JA McGrath, Racing Correspondent7:32PM GMT 18 Mar 2012Comment
The announcement of the new deal, reportedly worth around £15million, had been long anticipated.
Races such as the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree, the entire five days of Royal Ascot, the Derby at Epsom, and the Qipco Champions Day at Ascot, which are all showcase racedays shown on the BBC, will now become the property of a company who once claimed it could no longer cover the sport without financial assistance from the Levy Board.Channel 4 also already televises major races from Newmarket, Sandown Park, York, Goodwood and Haydock Park, which will remain part of its extensive coverage.
The astounding turnaround in Channel 4’s fortunes came because of a change in the law, which permitted television advertising of gambling. The past two years have delivered healthy profits in that area, according to reports.
Simon Bazalgette, the chief executive of Jockey Club Racecourses, applauded the signing of the new deal with Channel“It’s better for everybody,” he insisted on Sunday. “Under the new contract, racing will be paid a rights fee – and there will be no payment required to cover production costs.
“Channel 4 will have editorial control, but there will no doubt be discussion and consultation,” he said.Highflyer, the production company headed by John Fairley and Andrew Franklin, have produced Channel 4 racing for many years, but it will be thrown open to tender for next year.
Bazalgette said he believed viewers would still show their interest in the Grand National, Royal Ascot and the Derby by tuning in to Channel 4.Bazalgette dismissed fears expressed in television circles that the audience figure of around eight million for the Grand National meeting could be halved by switching away from the BBC.
“Viewers are used to moving around the channels these days,” he said. “They don’t just switch on ‘one’ and stay there. Part of the challenge will be to deliver the big audience, but we believe Channel 4 can step up to the plate.”
A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: “C4 racing production has been put out to tender in anticipation of the completion of the current contract which runs to the end of 2012.”
Tender will start this month with a decision in early summer.
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