Which Channel Is The Best for Horse Racing

[Meshaheer]

I’ve not had chance to watch as much racing in recent months but when I tuned into the July Meeting I noticed CH4 was trying to out-do the BBC in the fashion stakes. Yaawwwwn.

Being female I like to stare at dresses, shoes etc in my spare time (like when I’m shopping), but I just start throwing stuff at the TV when racing programmes have to include it. It’s not the slightest bit relevant or interesting. Then I think of the audience – which is probably largely male – and think how bad they must be feeling if I can’t stand it.

With most of the decent stuff on RUK (which I’m not going to pay to subscribe to), a lot of quality is diminishing from terrestrial. BBC and CH4 are losing the nail-biting seriousness which drew me to the sport in the first place. When a few Group races fade into the background and are treated with such mediocrity, then I feel I’ve had enough.

The current state of racing marketing hit me in the face when I was commuting on the London Underground in May. I noticed an advert for Oaks Day at Epsom. Sorry, I mean Ladies’ Day. That was all it was – first Friday in June: Ladies’ Day at Epsom, with pictures of women in hats and champagne. I think I spotted a blurred horse in the background but I might have been wrong. It looked a bit out of place.

[seabird]

I thought ATR’s coverage from Ascot yesterday was dire, once again.

You can certainly see where their priorities lie, when they go to a commercial break four minutes before the big race of the day. Advertisers 10 – punters NIL!!

Colin

[madman marz]

I thought ATR’s coverage from Ascot yesterday was dire, once again.

You can certainly see where their priorities lie, when they go to a commercial break four minutes before the big race of the day. Advertisers 10 – punters NIL!!

Colin

but isn’t that why they survive"ATR" its for free, I can forgive them the odd advertisement & Matt Chapmans butt licking, where as the quiet dull RUK are charging you a fee, simply thats why they don’t advertise. I know where my loyalties are, (and its not RUK).

[yeats]

Don’t know how anyone can vote for any, they’re all poor. BBC were abysmal yesterday, couldn’t see what was happening for most of the race with their pictures and as reported in the RP trading post today close up pics of the leaders head in the straight took preference over the required view.
That’s not to mention the moronic interviewing of Persad, the banal Carson and unnecessary laughable sound effects.
Obviously the producer of BBC racing is absolutely clueless on what’s required.

Makes you happy to pay your licence fee.

[seabird]

Madman, I would say the fact that the races are covered by television dramatically increases the bookmaker’s turnover and perhaps the bookmakers should be able to finance ATR without the need for adverts.

I may be wide of the mark on that, but even if the adverts are necessary, then perhaps they could be placed at a time that is more appropriate for the punter rather than the advertiser.

How many times have they come back from an addy break and the horses are already loaded in the stalls, on occassions they have been known to miss the start.

There also seems to be a deliberate policy to show as little of the horses as possible before the race. There are exceptions to that policy, I would agree, and the reports by Jason from the pre-parade ring are just what this viewer needs, it’s a shame that these reports are limited to the big meetings. It’s mostly a case of we must show anything, mostly talking heads, rather than the horses, some punter might just get an edge when he sees the short-priced favourite getting himself in a state in the parade-ring!

Colin

[skubie]

So what sort of format would people like their racing presented?

Personally I would like to see a shot of each horse in the parade or pre-parade (wherever they have the least on them). A shot of each horse going to post. This allows time for the presenters to discuss each horses chance. I also like to see the horses being loaded and I know for many trainers and industry people this is a key period, particularly in maidens. Also one full replay of the race, another of the finish and perhaps any key incidents is sufficient, on some occasions the number of replays is ridiculous. It is easy enough to record a race or watch it again on a website or watch one of the replays that both RUK and ATR provide.

Obviously it becomes difficult to fit all this in when very large fields are running, or several cards are being broadcast on the same day, so priorities need to be made, so cut all the long shots from the coverage (they after all supposedly have less chance of featuring) or skip them going to post.

As far as betting, the ATR format of having the odds at the side is sufficient and works well, particularly as any one who is watching for punting purposes is more than likely to have odds checker or similar running on a nearby computer screen.

As for interviews and features with connections, these are often not particularly enlightening when conducted in the middle of a busy racing afternoon, people are often under time pressure to get ready for the next race or move from one place to the next, check their horse is ok etc.

This is where interviews conducted earlier in the day are often better, everyone is a bit more relaxed as they are not under as much pressure and concentrated on doing an interview.

[crizzy]

used to really like the morning line..gets on my nerves a bit now. I reckon many of the people on here could talk racing better than that lot on C4 apart from Cattermole and Down who are the only ones I think present well. How irritating is Thompson??!! Tanya whatshername is dull as dishwater..I tend to watch atr most….

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