New Channel 4 Racing Lineup

Sorry, should have checked but this is on the main horse racing board, but I very rarely venture over them ways.

Graham Cunningham is a great addition imo,  Just got rid of Sky, so no RUK or ATR to switch over to.  I do like Aliastar Down though, would of liked him to of stayed

Having already secured acclaimed sports broadcaster, Clare Balding, as lead presenter of Channel 4 Racing, the channel today announces its complete horseracing line-up.

Experienced racing broadcaster, Nick Luck, will take on a key presenter role, supporting Clare Balding on all the sports premium events from 1st January 2013. These include Cheltenham Festival, Aintree's three-day John Smith's Grand National meeting, the Investec Derby Festival from Epsom Downs, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the QIPCO British Champions Day. Nick will independently lead Channel 4 Racing's weekly Saturday afternoon programmes.

Celebrating his newly appointed position, Nick says: "I would like to thank Channel 4 and IMG for what is an incredibly exciting opportunity. Together, they have some fantastic and dynamic ideas to drive the sport forward and I very much look forward to being part of the new team."

Clare and Nick will be joined by horseracing specialists, reporters Alice Plunkett and Emma Spencer with Rishi Persad also re-joining the channel. The trio will be responsible for trackside interviews with jockeys, trainers and winning connections, and will have a strong presence across traditional Saturday meetings for both jump and flat racing.

In-depth race analysis will be provided by the formidable Jim McGrath with new recruits Graham Cunningham and former top jump jockey Mick Fitzgerald.

Simon Holt will deliver race commentary supported by Richard Hoiles.

Betting will continue to have a significant presence and Tanya Stevenson will relay the market movers and exchanges.

Channel 4's Saturday Morning Line show will continue with Nick Luck at the helm and Alice Plunkett stepping in as an alternative front presenter. The show, live on-course from 7:55am provides racing enthusiasts with tales from the turf, racing updates and the latest betting news.

In time, further key names will be added to the core presenting team, which will be supported by a number of new talent that include attheraces presenter, Gina Bryce, and jump jockey Sam Thomas - the latter already familiar to Channel 4's audience through his Dark Horse Morning Line series.

The refreshed Channel 4 Racing team will present their first show live from Cheltenham Racecourse on Tuesday, January 1 2013 produced by IMG Sports Media. Carl Hicks, the former BBC Sport Senior Programme Editor, will be the Executive Producer of Channel 4 Racing with a team of horseracing and creative experts.

From 2013, Channel 4 Racing will be the new home of horseracing broadcasting 88 days a year and showing nearly 300 hours of live action.

Jamie Aitchison, Channel 4's Sports Editor, says:

"Being the new home of horseracing is a real privilege and I'm delighted to announce this carefully selected team of presenters and reporters; a mix of broadcasting heavyweights and racing experts.

"Sports fans have something to look forward to - our racing coverage will be insightful, intelligent and ground-breaking. I'm hugely excited about the future of racing on Channel 4 and greatly look forward to 2013."

"I would like to thank all of the presenting team for their commitment and enthusiasm to Channel 4 and the racing coverage over the years."

Some good, some bad imo. They've kept their two best commentators at least - though they've kept/hired some people who add nothing. The presenting should improve with Balding and Luck fronting things. I'm very please McCririck's going.

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=1012965

ali down a loss imo

Gemma H‏@Kauto09

isn't quite sure of what to make of the @Channel4Racing team, @clarebalding & @mickfitzg..fantastic but the loss of @tommoracing..not good!


Retweeted by Derek Thompson

tommo seethe imminent

Why does Rishi Persad get these jobs? He hardly knows anything about horse racing.Is Francome leaving then? Thought he gave a better insight then Mcgrath.

hope they get shot of that guest test thing!

They should do one with Francombe before he leaves and ask him which birds he's sha gged on the show.

shows only on for an hour howdy !

LOL

Ps/ It's Howdi ffs

howdy

^^^^ reported.

i thought it was mark!

sorry mark, i meant howdi.

no comment.

Rishi and Emma Spencer have no place on this

Indeed. On the plus side we'll presumably see far less of Emma on screen, and we won't have to watch her flirt with the Catt any longer.

I was worried we might end up with Carson. That would have been disastrous.

At least Big Mac and Tommo have gone. Him (Tommo) retweeting support yesterday was cringeworthy in the extreme.

Agree with ditching the guest test. It's completely uninteresting. HOWABOUT SOME ANALYSIS WITH COGENT POINTS. Hoping Graham Cunningham will add something in that sphere.

I really struggle with Fitzgerald. Verbosity unfettered. Remember once, when asked about his expertise riding at Kempton, he started a very long sentence by saying how he loved to creep away at the back round the home bend, save his energy and unleash up the straight, and by the end of the sentence he was saying that the one thing you have to do at the track is hold a prominent position as its so hard to come from behind. Jibberish.

He's excellent if you want someone to tip the favourite, the 2nd favourite and anything by Henderson.

*trained

That Kauto Star piece by Alistair Down on the Morning Line shows why C4 should never of got rid oh him!

stront makes a good point about Fitz but it is my experience of jockeys as tipsters generally. They are the worst known to mankind followed swiftly by most of the trainers. I learned a long time ago in trainerspeak that 'he has an ew chance' means that 'he might finish 5th or 6th'!

i like Big Al

i like Big Al

Well said WellChief - it was an excellent piece. I won't miss Alistair's presenting, but I will miss his thoughful commentary and analysis of jump racing and the way his passion for it shines through.

Difficult to see any of them making any sort of stand on behalf of punters , Cunningham perhaps. Whether you love him or hate him
Mccrick has kicked up a fuss when punters have been getting ripped off blind. The latest being on the Morning Line when he highlighted Fred D's disgraceful increase in the Tote take out. He has tried for many years to get the bookies to guarantee their early
prices and stick to decent e/w terms and did highlight when the bookies were betting to enormous overounds on course. With him
gone it probably gives the Bookies free reign to do whatever they like with their early prices as no one will kick up a fuss about
it on C4 and the RP is full of spineless journalists.
Will miss Big Al to ,his passion for jump racing and the Cheltenham festival is infectious.

agree Big Al when in the mood can put some good stuff together.

You can only presume Balding must have asked for Rishi...why on earth would you want him on a new project. He's hopeless...to get rid of Down for someone like Rishi is embarrassing. He would have forgot more than Persad knows about racing.

Plockett much be sh4gging the producer

Plunkett, Spencer, Luck, Balding - about as much in common with the average punter as the current cabinet. The latter two, yes, I can understand why they are there, but the first two ??? A rough looking, hungover A Down would be preferable imo.

I'll certainly miss Alister Down and John Francome. I like the way that Francome won't shy away from an outsider and when asked for selections, is happy enough to get creative. Makes for far better watching than those who just talk up the short priced jollies.

glad mccririck has gone,how can they get rid of fatal,gc is very good,i like francome but hes a terrible tipster,the morning line has went down hill ever since they changed it last year,the guest test is an absolute joke,and poor tommo !