Why plans to mic up a jockey at the Derby are a turn-off

You have to take your top hat – it is nearing that time of year in the sport – off to Channel 4 Racing.

With ITV taking over terrestrial coverage next January, it could have very easily started walking away in a huff and put in minimum effort when, after 30 years, it was cut out of the deal to show racing.

Its Achilles’ heel proved to be falling ratings for those forthcoming top-hat events, the Investec Derby a week today and Royal Ascot, which follows swiftly afterwards, although, after this year’s Grand National was run at 5.15pm, we now know that there is a strong correlation to audience and the start time of the race.

This year's Grand National started at 5.15pm Credit: racingfotos.c/REX/Shuttercock

However, far from dropping its hands in sight of the finishing post, Channel 4 has upped its game in the final furlong when morale among the team must be at a low ebb.

Of course, one of the challenges facing Channel 4 and its successor is that, while television is an industry at the forefront of innovation and technology and straining at the bit to use it, racing is not so swift to embrace change.

It is a conservative sport – with a small ‘c’ – and the last gadget Channel 4 wants to introduce before it winds up, a two-way radio between one of its presenters and a jockey on his way to the start, looks like being thwarted. Some trainers are yet to be persuaded.

It would work by, say, Mick Fitzgerald asking Frankie Dettori whether the Derby favourite was spooked by the big wheel at Tattenham Corner or whether he was worried about it dripping with sweat.

At the start, Dettori would peel off the small radio attached to a Velcro pad on his arm, take out his earpiece and dump it. During the race, therefore, he would be incommunicado.

In five years, such conversations will, doubtless, be common place. It already happens on Sky’s T20 cricket coverage when a presenter speaks to the fielding captain about his decisions and thinking.

Aidan O'Brian's lads and jockeys are in constant radio contact Credit: Rex

In fact, it already happens in the training of racehorses – all 50 of Aidan O’Brien’s lads and jockeys are in radio contact with the trainer when riding out at Ballydoyle; he can tell them to slow down or quicken up, they can ask him to ask the cook to put the sausages on for breakfast.

I can understand, though, the trainers’ reticence on this; they want the jockey to concentrate on riding the horse rather than their interview techniques.

Channel 4’s mistake is its desire to launch this innovation on a big day, such as the Derby, for the wow factor. But, perhaps, until trainers get used to it, it should be trialled on jockeys riding no-hopers in low-key races.

I would have declined to use it when riding Mr Frisk in the 1990 Grand National because I was doing my level best to concentrate on not cocking up a rare opportunity, but for those jockeys for whom riding in a big race is second nature, I see no problems.

Indeed, I can see some advantages. I would have been quite happy with it in other Nationals in which I rode. When I was being run away with to the start on Bishop’s Hall in 1996 I would have asked my interviewer where the brakes were on that particular model.