Anyone miss the good old days of Channel 4 Racing?

ffs

The Morning Line was great but did have its problems. Basically it was too gimmicky and stuck in the 1980s.

For a start, as seen in the photo, they were all roughly the same age and grew old together, apart from Oaksey and Brough who were even older and gone by the end.

They were also all male so they introduced Ms Graham & Ms Ramsden because they were related to people who knew about racing, and Alice who at least knew what end the polos go in.

By the end, it was positively harmful.

But yeah, for all that, it was a good watch and Jimbo and Francs gave some good winners.

The biggest problem with it was the bollocks Thompson who people have been fawning over for the past few days!

Good old Thommo.

Regardless of the "moments" of past Channel racing it was still significantly superior on info content than the present waffles that regularly saturates the Morning Line. Anyway, it is free viewing for those discerning viewers.

Criminal that John francome has been lost to racing

Sky is terrible, they show crap summer jumps instead of a Group Race in France! Split the screen or bring a recording ages later.

If he repeated once that the “apprentice should have walked the course” he did it dozens of times.
Still excellent advice imv.
I wonder how well he really knew John Banks?

I remember an in stable to interview - no idea what the programme was - Francome being interviewed and Winter just behind him.  Eventually Francome turned to Winter and appealed to him, “honestly Guvnor I talked to him but gave nothing away to him about the stable”.  A steely-eyed Winter looked at the camera then to Francome and uttered very telling words - “If I ever thought you had son you wouldn’t be standing there now”!  Meaning and intention crystal clear!

It was awful, to be honest.

The principal problem has never been broached: it is a 1/2 hour show stretched out with “segues” and the like. (**** breaks).

It was on too early for a couple of them: 8 to 9 am if memory serves:

Alastair Down would have a hangover and Johnny Francome would only become animated over the “Monkey Puzzle” and that was because he was in a cut of the premium-rate phone line rake.

McCririck did his act. His sense of outrage when he was retired said it all: they all thought they could coast it for life.

Jim McGrath would barely condescend to engage , except to pick “one drawn high, one drawn low” from the field in Great St Wilfred handicap. He looked every inch the scion of a tipping service looking to sell itself before it became worthless.

Leslie Graham was just a simpering token figure over who these naughty boys’ practise rode easy.

I won A signed book by John Mc one morning.

At least Francome could ride. He was a top class showjumper before starting in racing.

The Morning Line used to tackle the controversies of the week unlike the anodyne stuff today.. Plus there was a sense of humour in the air and some real insights into the market. Graham Cunningham is not my cup of tea but he was good at summing up a race. The Opening Show seems happy just to trot through a few video replays and offer up their tips, or should I say re another post, their opinions. Hardly worth watching now.

Like the old boy on the barstewards remarked, you only need to see the opening credits of the opening show to wonder who the feck are they trying to attract and it aint somene who wants a bet.

He fooking cracks me up when he starts swearing

wasnt called THE MOANING LINE on here for nothing

never watched it but that wasnt his finest hour

but nobody has done his job better. he was always on the side of punters

less remarked upon is that nick look was binned for being too middle class. class warriors didnt say much about it

apologies alaso if he wasnt. as i said i didnt watch it but assumed he would be on both morning and afternoon

but he was binned from the afternoon coverage because of perceived poshness when ch4 gave it up. he was clearly the best of them but he went anyway

which is the point. it wasnt about competence. class was the deciding factor. hes too posh. which is where the diversity and inclusion d1ckheads shut up. imagine the other way round

its not about capability for them its about special treatment and evening things up. despite what they spout

and i cant stand the bugger