What they said: social media reaction to the New Year's Day coverage

Alex Hammond: at the helm for Sky Sports Racing on Tuesday

It has been a historic day for racing coverage on television with Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV kickstarting their channels. Here is a selection of your reactions on social media . . .

Dave Lowe (@jdavelowe)
Early days but I’m sold @SkySportsRacing. More in-depth analysis & interviews on course, fresh clear graphics and HD! What’s not to like!

Ashley (@AshleyField91)
It’s nice seeing Irish racing in HD on @RacingTV.

Simon Rowlands (@RowleyfileRRR)
Directing live racing coverage on Racing TV seems to be marginally more demanding than running air-traffic control at Heathrow.

Robert Claydon (@078Claydon)
I’m really not sure about the new Racing TV. Totally manic this afternoon and it's not satisfactory to watch split-screen racing on a small tv. I know it’s a busy day but race following race incessantly is soulless #hopeitgetsbetter

Emma Berry @CollingsBerry
Enjoyable start to the new year watching Sky Sports Racing’s first broadcast. A new feel with familiar faces. Sean and Alex a really good pairing in the studio. And lovely to see wonderful Fakenham being given decent exposure.

Kieran Connery @KieranConnery
Tough to judge from day one but disappointing if @RacingTV won’t have any build-up or analysis of races and will just jump from race to race. How can you build an affinity with trainers, owners, horses without knowing about them?

David Stewart (@david_stewart)
Completely different viewing experience on @RacingTV now, but today's schedule never going to come across well.

Paul Brierley (@PB_jockey agent)
This @RacingTV can’t cope with UK and Ireland racing today, seen no paddock shots and just as they start talking about Cheltenham they cut away to Ireland . . . it’s not going to work on busy days.

Colin Beach (Colin_Beach)
Granted there were a lot of meetings to cover but @RacingTV has been poor today. Too much split-screen racing and some Irish races recorded and shown five mins after race has finished. In contrast @SkySportsRacing was a massive improvement from ATR.

Harrison Grayston (@HGrayston)
Racing is too imbalanced – Sky Sports Racing need more courses. Impressed with SSR but they just have little to offer right now. Racing TV is going to be a mess with all these courses.

Quotes of the day

“The stable couldn't be in better form in 2019”
Stewart Machin, presenting on RTV, provides a pointer to the chances of the Fergal O'Brien-trained Perfect Candidate in the 3m2½f handicap chase – race two at Cheltenham – after the yard landed the opener with Jarveys Plate

“We’ve starting calling him Father Christmas because he just turns up once a year in December nowadays, as he’s won on December 19, 20 and 21 in the last three years”
Ross Birkett, son of Julia Feilden, speaks to SSR presenter Simon Mapletoft at Southwell about the unique profile of Candesta

“It's the three-card trick with an added one, just to make it even more difficult”
Jonathan Neesom succinctly previews the tight four-runner BetBright Dipper Novices' Chase on RTV.

"He's trained them, driven them here and led them up – fair play Christian Williams"
SSR pundit Josh Apiafi praises hardworking trainer Christian Williams, who enjoyed a double at Fakenham with Sideways and Strictlyadancer.

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com

Published on 1 January 2019inNews

Last updated 17:00, 4 January 2019

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