At 1pm on Sunday, a new era in televised horse racing begins when ITV takes over as the sport’s main home on the box. For much of the three decades since ITV last sent cameras to the track, racing insiders have enjoyed quite specialised coverage on Channel 4 as well as the BBC, but there has been general concern about a slide in the ratings in recent years, so the time is right for the dose of populism that the new broadcaster is expected to administer.
Channel 4’s long, award-winning involvement draws a lot of respect from those who will be involved. But a larger audience will have to be reached, at least on the biggest days, if the new programme is to be called a success and the main point of difference, it appears, will be in the tone; more light of heart, less gripped by detail.
“It may be less analytical than what you may be used to,” says Matt Chapman, ITV’s new betting reporter, “but equally professional. The feel we want to get is a day out at the races, not a day in the studio analysing form. We’re trying to bring that feeling that we all get such a buzz from, of a day at the races in all its facets and spheres.”
Confirming that will be the overall plan, Richard Willoughby, ITV’s racing editor, made similar comments in a separate interview. “We want to replicate, as much as possible, what people do when they go racing,” he said. “From the paddock to the betting ring, we want to go where the people at the track go.
“That’s where our people will be and that’s why we’ve made a very conscious decision not to have a studio at the track and to base ourselves instead in the paddock. We want to capture that excitement and atmosphere and celebration and colour.”
Celebration and colour certainly sounds like the right territory for Chapman, who is achieving his lifetime’s ambition in becoming part of a racing programme on one of the main channels. For many years he has been a stimulating and popular part of At The Races, where he will continue to work, but his outspoken style caused some producers to see him as rather risky for a mainstream channel.
He plans to show that such fears were groundless. Certainly his addition is one of the most interesting aspects of ITV Racing, though there is an expectation that Willoughby, who has not worked with him before, may use him carefully in initial broadcasts until both are a little more familiar with each other. Chapman will also get room to express himself on the new Saturday morning programme, The Opening Show, which is being run by Paul Cooper, formerly of ATR and therefore as familiar with the presenter as anyone.
Chapman is focused on the pressing need to entertain. “I come from an era of being brought up on Channel 4 Racing,” he says. “There was a time when if I missed The Morning Line I’d feel a bit queasy about what I may have missed. That’s what we have to get, that feeling that if people miss the show, they’ll have missed out.
“In the modern era of watching TV and watching sport, you don’t have to be sat in front of the TV all day. If we want people to watch racing on a Saturday afternoon, the show will have to be just as important as the horses and the sport. The racing now, you can watch any time, anywhere. If all I’m interested in is the race, I can stand in Sainsbury’s and watch it.”
While Chapman has plenty to say, which is hardly news, he is also keen to show he is a good team player and he is lavish in his praise of Ed Chamberlin, pinched from Sky Sports to front the racing.
“It’s hard to speak in an unbiased way about your colleague but there’s no doubt he’ll be an outstanding leader and any doubts about him will be dispelled very quickly,” Chapman says. “He’s a charismatic, charming, good-looking lead presenter who loves the sport. He’s not one of those who wants to be the conductor and the orchestra.
“He wants to throw to his team, he wants to embrace his team and in that role it would be impossible to find anyone better. There will be no one who goes on racing TV in the future who will have done more work or more research. He has lived and breathed the game every day for the last five months.”
That praise is returned by Chamberlin, who says of Chapman: “People underestimate what a clever guy he is and what a good journalist. I think he’ll be a big success.”
Chamberlin has made good on his promise, made at the time of his hiring in June, to immerse himself in racing, where he began his working life before detouring through football for a decade or two. “I’ve done as much as I possibly can,” he says. “I’ve been to Ballydoyle, I’ve been to the sales, I’ve seen how a vet works. I’ve been trying to see every side of racing.
“I’ve been to so many stables. That’s the thing I’ve enjoyed the most. It seemed like, every time I went racing, someone came up and said: ‘Oh, come and see us.’
“I was thrilled about the promotion ITV have given it and I would love to think someone will tune in, having seen that, and give it a go. Our job then is to try and keep those people.”
Willoughby, who was expected to host a meeting with his presenters in the Cheltenham area on Sunday evening, says: “I’m excited and looking forward to it. It’s been a long time coming, there’s been a lot of planning and preparation. You just want to get cracking.”
ITV’s team on Sunday
Lead presenter Ed Chamberlin is joined by Sir Anthony McCoy and Luke Harvey. Alice Plunkett is a roving reporter and interviewer, Matt Chapman is in the betting ring and Richard Hoiles is commentator. Plus: Mick Fitzgerald and Victoria Pendleton contribute features, Lucy Verasamy provides weather expertise and Oli Bell presents the action from Musselburgh. Coverage from Cheltenham begins at 1pm.
