Clare Balding to join Channel 4

Probably a bit too much fuss made of all this. But Grey is right on emma.

I just skip through to the races mostly. could be Basil brush or freddie parrot face davis presenting for all i care sometimes
 
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This is the bit that fills me with dread.

"produced by IMG Sports Media. Carl Hicks, the former BBC Sport Senior Programme Editor, will be the Executive Producer of Channel 4 Racing."


This is the bloke who brought us Willie Carson, John Parrott and Gary Willshire, Richard Pitman, Rishi Persad , the twit doing fashion at Royal Ascot, and who was responsible for some truly awful coverage of the Grand National.
 
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Alistair down bartlett and cattermole have gone
plunkett and Tanya and Jim McGrath (Timeform) Staying
looks like plunkett will be featuring more on the Morning Line

the ones that have gone have been complaining about its handling apparantley they were told just 30 minutes before the press release
 
Steve T said:
Cunningham a poor recruit for me, more of a trader than a punter if you believe him.
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Could argue that a trader needs to be even sharper than a punter in terms of how a race is going to pan out to be successful. Bringing this kind of analysis can be a good thing I'd hope.

Lots and lots written about the switch and the new presenters, but as someone that basically sticks with RUK and ATR (catching Lingfield in between races like the Hennessy during winter is vital for me) can't say I'm really fussed one way or another.
 
davidjohnson said:
Could argue that a trader needs to be even sharper than a punter in terms of how a race is going to pan out to be successful. Bringing this kind of analysis can be a good thing I'd hope.
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If it was that kind of analysis it would be welcome, backing horses, putting them up publically and trading out, less so.
 
Also i think the point is that for most punters "trading out" is not really on the agenda. They just don't want to get that involved. Not worth it for 10s and 20s

Some might disagree but i really dont want to hear about their bets and how they did this and managed that. A bit like listening to someone telling you about how much fun it was banging your sister. You just dont really want to know.
 
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"Behind Clare Balding as lead presenter and Nick Luck in a supporting role, we were looking for a more journalistic approach to the content" said a spokesperson for Channel 4.

Cattermole, Down and McCririck, all with journalistic backgrounds, might raise an eyebrow or three to see Mick Fitzgerald, Emma Spencer, Alice Plunkett (and I've got nothing against them) and Tanya Stevenson grouped under that heading.
 
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Bar the Bull said:
Am I the only person in the world that hates Mick Fitzgerald?

I don't really mind Plunkett, Spencer, Parsad....
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I made the point on Twitter last night that Fitz is the Racing equivalent of Alan Shearer or Gareth Southgate. He owes his position in the media to being an ex participant in the sport rather than for any value in what he says.

Plunkett is a bit of a girl next door milf type. I reckon she's a far better "rider" than Spencer.

Parsad is OK.

Don't agree with them axing Down though.
 
Any chance in all this coming and going that they aim to show more of the horses pre race than ten seconds per horse, and every horse in every race and less adverts?
Persad is awful. Would have thought through his connections he would have got a cushy number at Sky years ago.
 
the fact Nick Luck s the new commander in chief shows you the level of broadcasting

Clare Balding is also boring and mediocre
 
No chance! Is the answer to your question, G-G.

I'm convinced the channels are in a conspiracy with the bookmakers to show as little as possible of the horses pre-race. Recently they gave us close-ups of the jocks, that's feckin' 'elpful, NOT!!
 
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