McCririck predicts bleak future

By Elizabeth Hudson

McCririck believes Channel 4 Racing is on the way out

Channel 4 horse racing pundit John McCririck believes the future of the sport on the channel is bleak.

The coverage is in doubt after the sport rejected a request from the channel for an £8m subsidy to continue broadcasting live races.

"The situation is not looking great and it hasn't looked great for a long time," McCririck told BBC Sport.

"I've always said it is odds against Channel 4 Racing still being on screen in 2006 and I still agree with that."

Last-minute talks to keep racing on Channel Four are on-going, with a deadline for a deal to be done extended until Friday.

"In the last couple of days before the deadline was extended I would have said it was in the death throes and time for the last rites. Now it is on life support with a bit of blinking going on," said McCririck.

"But at the end it is commercial reasons which will dictate its future."

At present, Channel 4 pays for the rights to broadcast live racing and claims to lose millions of pounds on the coverage - so it now wants the racing industry to contribute to its costs.

And McCririck, one of the sport's best-known faces, believes that the loss of the sport from Channel 4 would hit the industry.

Saturdays on television would not be the same again John McCririck

"So many people have got involved in racing through coverage on the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

"If Channel 4's coverage stops, the big meetings like Cheltenham, Royal Ascot, the Oaks and the Derby will still be on air on other terrestrial channels but we will not have the week-in, week-out Saturday afternoon coverage.

"It means that younger people who may have got involved via television will not be able to do so as easily.

"People who are really involved in racing can and do watch the coverage on satellite channels like Racing UK and At The Races and they are not worried about the demise of Channel 4.

"Ordinary punters probably won't suffer too much either as all of the pictures are in the betting shops.

"(But) Saturdays on television would not be the same again and that is what we have to face up to."

McCririck says the departure of Channel 4 could have far-reaching implications.

"Sponsorship will certainly be hit if the sport is not on terrestrial television.

"The Saturday newspaper supplements will also be under threat as will the coverage in the broadsheets, much of which is television-orientated."