I wouldn’t be surprised if the Showcase meeting ends up getting moved slightly earlier, or at least to a different Saturday from Champions’ Day so as to continue coverage.
I like Clare Balding a lot – how far she, and all of us, have come since the Blair Summer when she first appeared alongside a desperately uncomfortable Julian Wilson – but will miss Alastair Down no end. Form is temporary, class is permanent, and Clare has the form but Fat Al has the class.
Interesting that the decision to have the same lead presenters throughout the year goes directly against the decision made a few years ago – up to and including 2009, Fat Al also presented the big events on the Flat and Cattermole did a number of lesser jumps meetings. I wonder if Alastair was offered Nick Luck’s role but didn’t want to work year-round and/or didn’t want to be perceived as a secondary presenter?