Amazingly I was just reading that from a link on Twitter!
It will happen for sure and will play right into the hands of the BBC who I am sure would love the Grand National and Royal Ascot back.
If other sport is anything to go by the racing authorities could stand to gain millions and they know full well if some go back to the BBC viewing figures will sharply rise.
I can see this causing big problems for Horse racing.
Channel 4 lose the crown jewels and I reckon they will throw the towel in altogether.
Racing has no divine right to be live on terrestrial TV every week, especially when there are TWO dedicated racing channels and other, bigger sports in this country don't have live action on FTA week-in, week-out. And I'm a racing fan (but doesn't have one of the specialist racing channels).
Nick Luck will head Channel 4's Grand National coverage, with Gok Wan and Frankie Dettori.
Luck is the correct decision in my view, not sure what Dettori adds to a jump meeting and Gok Wan is just daft.
Agree, common sense has prevailed with Luck anchoring, but Dettori and Wan are only there as they are people who "the once-a-year racing viewers" recognise. Having Dettori there is akin to having (Rugby League legend) Ellery Hanley as a Rugby Union pundit on the Six Nations and as for Wan, Aintree is a festival where racing is well and truly primary and fashion well and truly secondary (and pointless).
Racing has no divine right to be live on terrestrial TV every week, especially when there are TWO dedicated racing channels and other, bigger sports in this country don't have live action on FTA week-in, week-out. And I'm a racing fan (but doesn't have one of the specialist racing channels).
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Of course, but if it disappeared from Saturday afternoons it would have dire consequences for the sport. I wasn't suggesting it had any kind of right.
Charlie Sale of the Daily Mail, only wants a carve-up of the terrestrial rights so that..
a) If the BBC bid (and win) the rights for the Grand National or Royal Ascot - he can have a go at them for even thinking about 'wasting' licence fee payers money on something like that..
..and..
b) Then have a go at them, if they get the rights back, at the viewing figures not being as high as when they had them previously. If the figures are lower - he'll point that out. If the figures are higher, he'll try and twist the audience share figure around to be worse than last time.
He has to follow the editorial line that every story is a bad story about if it's about the BBC
Channel 4 Racing did an ITV Sport today and missed most of the 2.40 at Lingfield due to an ill timed commercial break. Oops! Still, this is Channel 4, who take the sport so seriously Gok Wan will be one of the lead presenters of next week's Grand National coverage.
Also - no HD cameras at Lingfield yet so we were lumbered with a fuzzy feed, which in this day and age is incredibly embarrassing. One sport that benefits ENORMOUSLY from HD is horse racing. Why on earth is it not a standard thing at ALL tracks ? Even at the all weathers that are mostly tucked away on ATR, with HD replays offered online. And will Racing UK ever go HD themselves as it seems forever ago that they first mooted the idea and yet nothing has come of it.
On a more positive side, and not strictly coverage related, I was delighted to see Adam Kirby beat the better fancied Godolphin pair in the aforementioned race. He totally outclassed the first choice riders and it won't be the last time he does that this summer, except next time it will be other connections that benefit no doubt.
How he didn't get the Appleby job is beyond me. The lad hasn't put a foot wrong riding for him all winter and is much more reliable than Buick.
The National was first televised by the BBC in 1960 - it would be great to see it return to its spiritual home.I remember watching when Red Rum won for the third time and Peter O'Sullevan was virtually speechless:D
Channel 4 going to town again this week.
Morning lines on Thursday & Friday, Chatty man, a 2 hour morning line followed by a Saturday brunch all extras to the actual racing itself.
Channel 4 going to town again this week.
Morning lines on Thursday & Friday, Chatty man, a 2 hour morning line followed by a Saturday brunch all extras to the actual racing itself.
Really hope they are rewarded with good figures.
Stunning coverage this week too. Really impressed with yesterdays coverage.
I may be the exception to the rule but I really do not like C4 coverage much at all now. It is incredibly sycophantic during Ascot week and it has become too elitist. It has lost that "man in the bookie" touch. It doesn't relate at all to the vast majority of its audience.
Yes I would tend to agree with this, he is certainly not as sharp as he was and compared to a few years ago makes mistakes in closing stages.
Still however on the good side but there are better around, Jon Hunt for me is still the best in the business and a shame he didn't get a chance on BBC or Channel 4 but clearly still does a good job on the pay tv channels.
Also like Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin who I thought were top quality on Racing TV for the Grand National.
As far as Richard Hoilles goes, not up there with the best, lacks excitement in decent finishes.
As far as Richard Hoilles goes, not up there with the best, lacks excitement in decent finishes.
The good points i find about Richard Hoilles are that he is very clear, with him you get a strong understanding regarding where each individual horse is and therefore when you are supporting a particular horse you will always know where it is when Hoilles is commentating, something which doesn't occur when Simon Holt is commentating.
Also as a side note i would have to say that commentating on Horse Racing has to be one of the hardest commentary jobs out there, as you need to memorise each of the jockeys clothing, the positions of all horses and the ability to describe it all to the listener. It is simply a much harder job than commentating on Football, Rugby or Cricket etc..
Comments
Wasn't just Charles Sale reporting this story; it was also in The Guardian.
Racing has no divine right to be live on terrestrial TV every week, especially when there are TWO dedicated racing channels and other, bigger sports in this country don't have live action on FTA week-in, week-out. And I'm a racing fan (but doesn't have one of the specialist racing channels).
Agree, common sense has prevailed with Luck anchoring, but Dettori and Wan are only there as they are people who "the once-a-year racing viewers" recognise. Having Dettori there is akin to having (Rugby League legend) Ellery Hanley as a Rugby Union pundit on the Six Nations and as for Wan, Aintree is a festival where racing is well and truly primary and fashion well and truly secondary (and pointless).
Of course, but if it disappeared from Saturday afternoons it would have dire consequences for the sport. I wasn't suggesting it had any kind of right.
a) If the BBC bid (and win) the rights for the Grand National or Royal Ascot - he can have a go at them for even thinking about 'wasting' licence fee payers money on something like that..
..and..
b) Then have a go at them, if they get the rights back, at the viewing figures not being as high as when they had them previously. If the figures are lower - he'll point that out. If the figures are higher, he'll try and twist the audience share figure around to be worse than last time.
He has to follow the editorial line that every story is a bad story about if it's about the BBC
Also - no HD cameras at Lingfield yet so we were lumbered with a fuzzy feed, which in this day and age is incredibly embarrassing. One sport that benefits ENORMOUSLY from HD is horse racing. Why on earth is it not a standard thing at ALL tracks ? Even at the all weathers that are mostly tucked away on ATR, with HD replays offered online. And will Racing UK ever go HD themselves as it seems forever ago that they first mooted the idea and yet nothing has come of it.
How he didn't get the Appleby job is beyond me. The lad hasn't put a foot wrong riding for him all winter and is much more reliable than Buick.
Morning lines on Thursday & Friday, Chatty man, a 2 hour morning line followed by a Saturday brunch all extras to the actual racing itself.
Really hope they are rewarded with good figures.
Stunning coverage this week too. Really impressed with yesterdays coverage.
c4 racing coverage has always been good and yesterdays was no exception and I particulary liked the Frankel documentary Saturday
Has this happened before?
They used to cover it regularly back in the 60s but when The Troubles broke out the OB unit was locked in the garage and didn't come out for years.
I read the last time they covered this meeting was back in 1994.
https://vine.co/v/eePxHHB5ZeY
no it can't that was awesome, thommo is a legend
The Northern Irish Derby was regularly covered by the BBC and shown throughout the UK in the early/mid 90's
It's only being shown in Northern Ireland this time, AP McCoy is the guest
Hoilles is decent enough. Wouldn't say better. Holt & Ian Bartlett for me I enjoy.
Yes I would tend to agree with this, he is certainly not as sharp as he was and compared to a few years ago makes mistakes in closing stages.
Still however on the good side but there are better around, Jon Hunt for me is still the best in the business and a shame he didn't get a chance on BBC or Channel 4 but clearly still does a good job on the pay tv channels.
Also like Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin who I thought were top quality on Racing TV for the Grand National.
As far as Richard Hoilles goes, not up there with the best, lacks excitement in decent finishes.
The good points i find about Richard Hoilles are that he is very clear, with him you get a strong understanding regarding where each individual horse is and therefore when you are supporting a particular horse you will always know where it is when Hoilles is commentating, something which doesn't occur when Simon Holt is commentating.
Also as a side note i would have to say that commentating on Horse Racing has to be one of the hardest commentary jobs out there, as you need to memorise each of the jockeys clothing, the positions of all horses and the ability to describe it all to the listener. It is simply a much harder job than commentating on Football, Rugby or Cricket etc..