ITV Should Think Very Carefully About Using Chapman

Did you hear him after the bumper at Ffos Las saying the winner loved the whip?  The man appears to be losing it completely over this issue.

He made a fool of himself earlier regarding the winner of the big race at Auteuil running in “those famous Kelvin-Hughes silks” made famous by Punjabi when winning The Champion Hurdle.

Punjabi was owned by Raymond Tooth.

Needs a performance enhancer, start with a tongue tie.

Aidan O’Brien is one of many who agree with Chapman regarding the new whip rules.

He's not sharp enough, nor good looking enough.

He is though correct in challenging the authorities over the new whip rules, very few in the game agree with them.

He is on this forum…..

Don't the jocks already have elected officials to act on their behalf. Surely they are the people to create the dialogue? So why do they need a seemingly self appointed spokesman? If Chapman wants to resign as a presenter and act for the jockeys on a full-time basis then I would be all for it. At the moment he is doing little more than pot stirring. I don't want to see any bans at Cheltenham, but I suspect he would love to see loads just so he can shoot his mouth off again.

He is the most the knowlegeable in the game.
He is also an excellent presenter. Just thought I would share my view. Cant understand how people can doubt his knowledge and passion.

i wont watch the morning show coz of him mainly,,hes an annoying character ,,as my Mum used to say ..'no one likes a smart ass'

Yep ITV should stick to using Chamberlain, Bell, Plunkett, Fitzgerald, Harvey and some reality TV bloke - as long as everyone agrees how wonderful everything and everyone is

chappers respect for a horse ends in
a violent,alcoholic up to the eyes in coke breaking rules of entry to get on a horse and lash the arse of it ,to get over the line,
on the grounds he gives chappers 1st dibs at an interview

differentdrum, an excellent post. You'd hope people from the TV media might bother to read these forums.

Boyce replaces Chapman on yet another 'Monday night bore us all to death about the whip' and 10 seconds after the first race ,the first thing Boyce mentions is the whip. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

That’s some lineup go ballistic

Funny how we all see things differently.
I don;t watch the morning show because of Bell.
A bigger creeping, attention seeking crawler there has never been on racing tv.

I like Matt but agree he can be a little ott the odd day, great thing about him is, his passion for our game is genuine, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He also asks the questions others are afraid to. We need guys like Matt to stand up for us and speak out when he sees the need...

I agree.  I remember he was the only one to take a trainer to task for something he had said publicly, which downed racing,  and which everyone else was sidestepping.  I cringe a bit at times but I'd rather have him than not have him.
I don;t know how often we read moans on here about pundits and tv presenters sitting on a fence.  One doesn't, regularly speaks his mind and asks near-the-bone questions, sometimes gets things wrong, and he's pilloried too.
I hope he goes on and on about the whip.  far better him than that BHA pill ock given the time of day on the morning show the other day who lied through his teeth about feeling sorry for Lorcan Willians when he was probably instrumental in the timing of the new regime - so that Cheltenham becomes a media debate and exposing moratorium about the whip,
designed to engender more public distaste about Racing.
You don't think the timing has been accidental do you?
Armson gets 10 days starting on Tuesday.  Another co-incidence.
Keep going on about the whip Matt.  Fight back, don;t sit back!

I think everyone knows that horse racing and horse racing punditry has been a closed shop for years. It’s always, ex jockeys, sons or daughters of trainers etc. ITV has changed their programme into a light entertainment show, rather than a horse racing and punting show.
It all has to be so PC these days and this is why you have such crumby presenters.
You good be the most prolific tipster/punter of all time or have the largest social media following ever and you have zero chance of being approached by ITV.
This is because they cannot be seen to be promoting gambling and as mentioned before it’s a closed shop.

Racing UK is slightly better, but not a lot.

I read the above and wonder if there are indeed two Matt Chapman's. That thought might not be too far from the truth.

I see someone who puts on an act whenever a microphone is put in front of him. He is constantly over the top because he sees that as his 'style'. 'Genuine'? Someone like Lord Oaksey was genuine, Chapman is, and will always be, about promoting himself. The idea that he cares tuppence about you and I is poppycock. I don't see that he asks questions nobody asks. I see a string of excrutiating interviews where he appears to act as if he is the best pal of said trainer or jockey. He is continually trying to stay onside with those people. That's where his views on the whip originate from, nothing to do with doing what's best for racing. As ever it's about what's best for Chapman. It is very easy to launch attacks on those trying to manage the sport. I don't think he has ever actually debated the whip issue in his life. He just preaches to the already converted. As regarding being all knowledgeable, I have seen him on Cheltenham Previews, and he comes across as mediocre at best. Being better than the likes of Cooper and Harvey doesn't make him close to good. 

In the short term his personal crusade should not be allowed to hijack the coverage of the Cheltenham Festival.

Being kicked off that would really have hurt his ego as he probably saw that as a possible ticket into mainstream.