What a fantastic find The Difference! Excellently spotted. I think she should be good. ITV seem to be learning the lesson of Adrian Chiles by not bringing in widely known presenters. With Chamberlain only familiar to Sky football fans he will be largely unknown to a lot of viewers, as will Cumani. So far so good from ITV, they seem to be taking their time to bring in new members but it looks like they really want to get it right from the off and for me the signs are good so far.

Good line from (Aussie) Jim McGrath to Matt Chapman today.
"You need to go back to that manual you recently acquired. How to present"

Matt smiling broadly agreed.

A clue perhaps, strong rumours this week that Chapman has been approached to do the betting.

Robin Gray has died. This old article from Aussie Jim is a cracker http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/hor...sirtainty.html

Another sad loss.
This time Racing UK regular..Tom O Ryan

http://www.racinguk.com/news/article...h-of-tom-oryan

Oh dear.......I liked Tom

Of course he had that very serious accident on his tractor two or three years ago but he seemed to have recovered from that

He appeared to be immensely popular amongst racing people......jockeys, trainers, journos and he came across as a really nice guy.

I think he did he did a lot of mentoring and teaching of young jockeys up north at the Northern Riding School (?)

RIP Tom.........very sad news

That is a shame. Always seemed very natural in front of the camera and really knew his stuff.

RIP Tom

Very sad to hear, he always knew his stuff and his knowledge was incredible, he knew a lot more than a lot of the pundits now. There were few that had a better flat racing knowledge than him. There was always a natural ease in front of the camera as well. A very good broadcaster indeed. Does anyone know when he was last on?

what was wrong with Tom anyway? his voice was beautfiul

He sadly died from Lung Cancer

According to the Racing Post ITV are confirming positions: Rishi Persad, Oli Bell, Hayley Turner and Sally Ann Grassick are in,

Tanya Stevenson, Tom Lee and Gina Harding are out

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live....324&category=0

Little surprised about Hayley Turner, i know she was a leading women flat jockey but thought the few times i saw here she added very little and at times struggled in front of the cameras.

ITV certainly seem to be ringing the changes, as i thought they would but also surprised to see Tanya Stevenson dropped.

Still laying money huge casualty will be Simon Holt.

Is Clare Balding no longer involved with any racing on ITV ?

Nothing been mentioned on a high profile role so very much suspect her racing days may well be coming to an end.

I'm not a big watcher of ATR but Hayley seems to be doing OK when she co-presents the live afternoon racing from the studio......that's quite a long broadcast so she's getting plenty of experience

She also seems to have a bit of chemistry with Olli Bell.....they made a few 'fun' feature shows for RUK, eg I remember one where they were training to make cocktails?...I think another one about her boxing, which she does in her spare time

I like her & think she'll be OK

I like Rishi and Olli as well........obviously I'm easily pleased........

Don't know Sally Anne Grassick

I'm surprised Gina Harding has not been hired, she's an excellent presenter.

The long and short of this is that anyone with a long historical association with C4 racing - via the previous contractor Highflyer - will be history. Besides Stevenson, Lee and Harding, Nick Luck and Emma Spencer's fate was sealed when Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani were ITV's first presenter announcements and of other long-tme C4 luminaries, we await to hear what happens as regards Alice Plunkett and Simon Holt, but as the days go by, it's looking likely that they won't be involved in ITV's coverage.

Of the names announced in the last 24 hours, Sally Ann Grassick is an interesting one. Not really familiar with her, but looking at her background, I suspect she'll be more for the jumps season, especially Cheltenham (Festival) and Aintree, which would cease Ted Walsh's involvement.

Rishi Persad and Oli (stupid boy) Bell show ITV will be making the same mistakes as C4 did on the revamp, Hayley Turner is useless on ATR but as long as boxes get ticked that is the main thing

Very harsh on Gina Harding, who has been very good on the coverage. Nick Luck was always going to be dropped once Chamberlain was announced. I for one dont mind Luck at all and he isnt a bad presenter but he will just pick up some more Racing UK presenting. If Simon Holt isnt going to ITV who would they bring in as the lead commentator?

I'd be amazed if Holt isn't lead commentator. Perhaps the delay is that he's playing hardball?
Personally don't feel like there's any alternative. Most of racing knows that, Holt probably knows that too. Maybe holding out for what he can get.

I do hope next years Grand Nasional and Scottish Nasional will not be in ITV4 as that's not in HD via Freeview(Youview). As that's really the only two main races that I bet on and watch.

Darren

John Hunt is the rumoured alternative to Simon Holt.

No chance on the GN Darren
ITV are committed to 34 days on ITV1, so all big days will be on there.

Said it all along Tony, would be a fantastic choice/replacement.

I wouldnt be amazed at all to be honest if not chosen, John Hunt is well up there as an excellent caller, my view better than Holt by a long way.

John Hunt is certainly very good, but i wouldn't say that he was better by a long way i think they are very similar. If Hunt did decide to leave 5 Live for ITV you could envisage Holt taking the radio role. I cant see them having both as commentators, it seems it will be one or the other. But ITV have sprung surprises so far so they may go for someone completely different. Perhaps Richard Hoiles may keep his role as a secondary commentator?