New presenters won't necessarily result in higher viewing figures

The Channel 4 coverage is excellent. The criteria for excellence is knowledge, presentation skills, intelligence, wit and the ability to think on your feet. Nick Luck has all of these and is the best sports presenter on TV – better even than Clare Balding, who I preferred when she was on the BBC as she was less sensationalist than on Channel 4.

Jim McGrath is the most experienced paddock commentator, Mick Fitzgerald is very good, as is Rishi Persad – I particularly rate his presentation of the Morning Line. The show achieves a good balance of betting, analysis, banter and industry pieces.

When the BBC gave up, racing viewers decreased, and when Channel 4 – foolishly, I think – left Highflyer for IMG, ratings collapsed. In my view this can only be due to the change in presenters rather than change in content, which actually improved modestly. What this tells you is that racing on TV is marginal viewing for most people and is highly dependent on the audience relating to the presenters.