Channel 4

[Posts: 14Joined: 27 Aug 2010, 18:57]

Why are Channel 4 not showing the Newmarket and Newbury meatings this week?

Could it be that the timing of the group/listed races are at a time that would interfere with Countdown and Deal Or No Deal?

[Posts: 304Joined: 03 Feb 2006, 11:39Location: Chelmsford]

I tink the last time they covered the Craven meeting was in 2005 when Democratic Deficit won the Craven Stakes.

[Posts: 971Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

Seems a long time ago that Channel 4 televised the Craven meeting in the days when the then three-day meeting was shown, along with both days of the Cheltenham meeting.
Many people could never understand why Newmarket and Cheltenham were allowed to clash. I remember that many racing professionals, including people like racecourse commentator Robin Gray and TV presenter John Oaksey, preferred to opt for Cheltenham.
Most of the non-big Festival midweek meetings have been axed by Channel 4, along with other days like the second day of the Kempton Christmas meeting.
One year, of course, the BBC combined Kempton with the Welsh National meeting at Chepstow. Ironically, that meeting will now be the BBC's swansong this year.
Seems even longer ago that the Bank Holidays could be sure of terrestrial television coverage from ITV and later Channel 4, usually two meetings.
I used to like the May and August Bank Holiday Monday coverage, including Epsom's meeting in August, featuring the Moet and Chandon amateur riders' Derby race.
I was also disappointed that Carlisle's annual Channel 4 exposure on Easter Saturday bit the dust this year, in favour of Mussleburgh.
It was the day that Doug Fraser's course commentary at Carlisle got a wider airing for a couple of the early years of the Channel 4 inclusion of the meeting.
Channel 4 did, of course, show commendable flexibility by televising the extra rearranged Friday at Newbury after the abandonment of the big Saturday meeting during the winter.
Channel 4 will have bigger fish to fry next year.....

[Posts: 176Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 09:50Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne]

[quote="CrustyPatch"]Seems a long time ago that Channel 4 televised the Craven meeting in the days when the then three-day meeting was shown, along with both days of the Cheltenham meeting.
Many people could never understand why Newmarket and Cheltenham were allowed to clash. I remember that many racing professionals, including people like racecourse commentator Robin Gray and TV presenter John Oaksey, preferred to opt for Cheltenham.
Most of the non-big Festival midweek meetings have been axed by Channel 4, along with other days like the second day of the Kempton Christmas meeting.
One year, of course, the BBC combined Kempton with the Welsh National meeting at Chepstow. Ironically, that meeting will now be the BBC's swansong this year.
Seems even longer ago that the Bank Holidays could be sure of terrestrial television coverage from ITV and later Channel 4, usually two meetings.
I used to like the May and August Bank Holiday Monday coverage, including Epsom's meeting in August, featuring the Moet and Chandon amateur riders' Derby race.
I was also disappointed that Carlisle's annual Channel 4 exposure on Easter Saturday bit the dust this year, in favour of Mussleburgh.
It was the day that Doug Fraser's course commentary at Carlisle got a wider airing for a couple of the early years of the Channel 4 inclusion of the meeting.
Channel 4 did, of course, show commendable flexibility by televising the extra rearranged Friday at Newbury after the abandonment of the big Saturday meeting during the winter.
Channel 4 will have bigger fish to fry next year..... [/quote ]

Im going back to the late 80s early 90s here but Im sure Cartmel was an August BH holiday meeting CH4 used to cover(Doug Fraser im sure was the commentator, and Redcar popped up for a couple of years. Those were the days..... reminds me when ITV used to cover the Gosforth Park Cup night, presented by another Doug, in the shape of the venerable Moscrop(the man couldnt tip his hat!!)

[Posts: 971Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

It must have been back in the 1970s when ITV used to cover three midweek days at Redcar in August, presented by John Rickman, with betting shows from the squeaky-voiced Peter Moor.
Amazing that Redcar warranted such prestige coverage when you consider that most of the fare there is usually modest, except for races like the two-year old trophy, covered in its first year by the BBC, with Julian Wilson and co.
In the old days of the ITV 7 on World of Sport, they used to cover the greyhounds from Harringay virtually every week when the racing was off. The greyhound coverage was presented by Gary Newbon with boxing commentator Reg Gutteridge calling the races.

[Posts: 4483Joined: 03 Sep 2007, 22:56Location: Milton Keynes]

Could it be that the timing of the group/listed races are at a time that would interfere with Countdown and Deal Or No Deal?

Couldn't give a monkeys about Deal Or No Deal but Countdown is sacrosanct (it's the only entertainment program on TV I watch) - I'm already unhappy at the prospect of it being cut next year to make way for Aintree and Royal Ascot coverage, any more would be too much.

If C4 want to show more midweek racing then it should be put on More 4.

[Posts: 971Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

I'm going back to the late 80s early 90s here but Im sure Cartmel was an August BH holiday meeting CH4 used to cover(Doug Fraser im sure was the commentator, and Redcar popped up for a couple of years.

I don't ever remember Channel 4 televising Cartmel but Redcar used to pop up on the ITV coverage of years ago quite regularly, especially on Bank Holiday Mondays.
I seem to remember the Vaux Gold Tankard and the Zetland Gold Cup were regular TV highlights from Redcar.
Pity that the course has been tipped on more than one occasion in different places to be the next to close. Unlike many people, I would hate to see any course close. I know some people believe that there should be fewer courses and less racing but I would be very sad to see any of them go.
I didn't get to Teesside Park, aka Stockton, before it abruptly closed in the 1980s and also didn't get to the much-criticised Great Leighs before it bit the dust.
I'm still hoping Great Leighs will reopen although I know many colleagues on this forum will not be quite so keen if it happens.

[Posts: 176Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 09:50Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne]

I'm going back to the late 80s early 90s here but Im sure Cartmel was an August BH holiday meeting CH4 used to cover(Doug Fraser im sure was the commentator, and Redcar popped up for a couple of years.

I don't ever remember Channel 4 televising Cartmel but Redcar used to pop up on the ITV coverage of years ago quite regularly, especially on Bank Holiday Mondays.
I seem to remember the Vaux Gold Tankard and the Zetland Gold Cup were regular TV highlights from Redcar.
Pity that the course has been tipped on more than one occasion in different places to be the next to close. Unlike many people, I would hate to see any course close. I know some people believe that there should be fewer courses and less racing but I would be very sad to see any of them go.
I didn't get to Teesside Park, aka Stockton, before it abruptly closed in the 1980s and also didn't get to the much-criticised Great Leighs before it bit the dust.
I'm still hoping Great Leighs will reopen although I know many colleagues on this forum will not be quite so keen if it happens.

Spoke to one of my colleagues and he definetly remembers Cartmel being on C4, it was small fields if he remembers rightly. Cartmel was always a racecourse that could never attract many runners, certainly not as many as it enjoys now. That maybe something to do with stabling capacity as I think its only in the 70s even now. I will stand corrected on that one.

The problem with Redcar is, its not easily accessibile like the rest of its yorkshire counterparts, the majority easily accessed off the A1(Catt/Ponte/Thirsk/Ripon. The A66 being a joke at peak times as well. It would be a shame to see it fall by the wayside, but local sponsorship is also a problem and could be a contributory factor. Yorkshire tracks are always popular with CIU social club race trips. Thirsk is our track for this year. Might put a request in for Redcar next year.

I remember my dad telling me about his race trips, once including a jaunt down to Stockton, thats all I know of the place. I imagine the rapid demise of industry played a factor in it closing. Of course it now has a second life, it now housing the large Teeside Retail Park.

[Posts: 847Joined: 14 Jun 2009, 23:52Location: Croydon]

Thanks for the memories guys:

Dickie Davies introducing the ITV7 on World of Sport,
greyhound racing with Gary Newbon and Reg Gutteridge from Harringay and Wembley,
Bank Holiday Sports Specials normally presented by Steve Rider showing Epsom, Redcar, Ripon etc

Those were the days....... but also don't remember seeing Cartmel being shown on ITV before.

PS I notice next Friday as well as Sandown, C4 are showing racing from PERTH for the first time with Iain Macknezie being the commentator.

[Posts: 176Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 09:50Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne]

Thanks for the memories guys:

Dickie Davies introducing the ITV7 on World of Sport,
greyhound racing with Gary Newbon and Reg Gutteridge from Harringay and Wembley,
Bank Holiday Sports Specials normally presented by Steve Rider showing Epsom, Redcar, Ripon etc

Those were the days....... but also don't remember seeing Cartmel being shown on ITV before.

PS I notice next Friday as well as Sandown, C4 are showing racing from PERTH for the first time with Iain Macknezie being the commentator.

I presume now, all the scottish tracks are under the RUK umbrella Phil. Looking forward to that, I presume it will be the Highland National their covering. One thing is for sure, I have never heard Iain Mackenzie on C4, and I cant imagine them sending one of their own up there.
I hope RUK try and change some of the camera angles if thats possibile. ATRs rooftop shots from the last to the post are naff!

[Posts: 971Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

I notice next Friday as well as Sandown, C4 are showing racing from PERTH for the first time with Iain Mackenzie being the commentator.

I can never understand why Channel 4 haven't axed this Friday. They have chopped other lesser midweek and Friday meetings, notably the Newmarket and Cheltenham double headers this week and the second day of the Kempton Christmas meeting.
It's not the most thrilling day that's ever been televised but it seems to have survived for some reason.
Great that Perth will be featured. Iain Mackenzie has done this Perth festival virtually every year for many years, apart from a year when the ill-fated Andy Orkney did it.
It won't be the first time that Iain Mackenzie has been heard on Channel 4. He was commentating at Huntingdon a couple of years ago when Channel 4 switched there when the Cheltenham Festival racing was abandoned because of high winds.
He also popped up as a guest at Stratford on the Morning Line one year when the Horse and Hound meeting there used to be televised. Iain, of course, was brought in for his knowledge of the hunter chase and point-to-point scene.
Racing from Stratford always used to be featured a couple times a year in the old ITV 7 days but was scrapped later by Channel 4, probably over the media rights issues involved with the GG Racing courses.
Sad that I won't be able to watch Perth on At The Races this year. And it looks like it will be the last time that Iain Mackenzie commentates at this Perth meeting before the axe falls shortly to make way for Matt Chapman and the others.

[Posts: 176Joined: 21 Sep 2010, 09:50Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne]

And it looks like it will be the last time that Iain Mackenzie commentates at this Perth meeting before the axe falls shortly to make way for Matt Chapman and the others.

Dont remind us!!

[Posts: 971Joined: 20 Sep 2011, 16:52]

Spoke to one of my colleagues and he definitely remembers Cartmel being on C4, it was small fields if he remembers rightly. Cartmel was always a racecourse that could never attract many runners, certainly not as many as it enjoys now. That maybe something to do with stabling capacity as I think its only in the 70s even now.

It was certainly small fields on my one and only visit to a race meeting at Cartmel.
The fairground and stalls were there on the May Bank Holiday evening meeting we went to. Needless to say, the viewing was appalling and was constantly interrupted, even though it must be the smallest rules course in the country. I know people say that this doesn't matter and that the atmosphere and experience are everything but it certainly spoiled my enjoyment.
Predictably, the commentator at Cartmel that day was Iain Mackenzie. Didn't hear much of his commentaries, despite my trying my best to clamber to the best vantage point I could in what passes for a grandstand and trying to stand as close as I could to a loudspeaker. Still could barely hear anything.
As my girlfriend likes the Lakes and always insists on going to Cartmel, I always insist on having a walk on the course (while she buys the sticky toffee pudding from the village shop on the corner). The shop always used to provide the sticky toffee puddings as prizes and has sponsored races there, I believe.
The highlight of a visit to the village of Cartmel itself is looking out for the scowling and ruddy-faced hotel owner who used to have the hotel on the right of the square as you look towards the course. He always used to stand outside surveying the scene, with his pinafore on, and greet passers-by with a cheery "How d' you do?" as they walked past. Don't know whether he is still about.
We always have the predictable sad remark from one of us about Mavis Riley from Coronation Street, who was supposed to have retired to Cartmel in the soap.
It's certainly a bottleneck in Cartmel (yes, I know, that's part of the charm) and I wouldn't fall over myself to go to a meeting there again (heresy, I know, but I like to see and hear the races when I go).