Premier Information: Commentator turns Jockey

Channel 4 racing presenter Rishi Persad has agreed to take part in a charity race at Cheltenham.

The article below is reproduced by Premier Information courtesy of the Racing Post.

BROADCASTER Rishi Persad will have a starring role at the Cheltenham Festival after it was announced he will be one of 12 riders to take part in the St Patrick's Derby charity race on Thursday, March 13.

It is the fifth running of the 1m5f Flat race, which has raised more than £800,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Persad, a presenter for Channel 4, Racing UK and the BBC, will be joined by Nigel Roddis, development director at Great British Racing and Lucy Bridgwater, wife of trainer David.

Sophia Brudenell, communications manager at Cheltenham, said: "We had a huge number of entries for next year's St Patrick's Derby and it was therefore really difficult to pick the 12 chosen riders.

"We wanted to ensure that we have a mix of people riding from both the racing industry and those who ride either as a hobby or in another equine sport. People of all ages are participating and both sides of the Irish Sea are well represented.

"I really hope that next year's race will push the total amount of money raised by Cheltenham for Cancer Research UK to over £1 million, which would be an amazing feat in the five years of the partnership."

Frances Milner, director of supporter-led fundraising for Cancer Research UK, added: "We don't receive any government funding, so every step towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated. We wish all of the participants the best of luck and we look forward to welcoming them over the finish line."

The line-up is completed by Morgan Stanley banker Kieran Ryan, Dubai-based Sheikh Samir Mirdad, Emma Cook who works at Cheltenham, Michelle Turner, a director at Pertemps, point-to-point enthusiast Heather Kemp, Wexford trainer Bernadette Murphy, County Meath businessman Douglas Taylor, student Tom O'Neill and Cheltenham businesswoman Alexia Buckwell

Premier Information: Big Mac Loses His Case

Interesting to see that John McCririck has lost his case against Channel 4. At Premier Information, we're always interested to see what's happening in the racing world!

The article below is reproduced courtesy of the Daily Mail.

John McCririck has lost his age discrimination case against Channel 4 after an employment tribunal ruled against him.

The 73-year-old argued that he was sacked as a racing pundit by the broadcaster because of his age.
But today a Central London Employment Tribunal panel ruled against him and accepted Channel 4's argument that the decision was made for commercial reasons.

Mr McCririck claimed he was dumped from his high-profile role on Channel 4 Racing by 'anonymous suits and skirts' as part of a drive to hire younger faces.

The pundit, famed for his deerstalker hat and gold jewellery, took his former employer and TV production company IMG Media Limited to the tribunal, alleging his sacking last year was motivated by age discrimination.

Both firms denied discrimination in the £3million case.

Mr McCririck said today: 'This is an historic setback for all employees in their 30s to their 70s.
'After such a landmark judicial verdict, my failed legal action ensures that anonymous suits and skirts, who control the media, numerous other businesses and the public sector, will now enjoy complete freedom to replace older employees whatever their unimpaired ability and merit.

'I have let them all down along with my wife, the Booby, my legal team, friends, colleagues and countless members of the public who supported me throughout. My grateful thanks and apologies to every one of them.

'Former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett MP said in August, "The way TV executives worship the cult of youth seems to be an unstoppable fetish." It is now.

'With my legal team we are now out of contact while studying the judgment in detail.'

During the hearing Mr McCririck admitted that he made sexist remarks and behaved rudely on screen, particularly when appearing in reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Wife Swap.

However, he insisted that he only did so as part of a 'pantomime' role which had been encouraged by Channel 4 in order to promote him as a memorable character.

Witnesses from the broadcaster and production company said that he was considered 'offensive' and 'disgusting', leading to his sacking when Channel 4 hired IMG to produce its racing programmes and unveiled a new presenting team headed by Clare Balding.

In closing submissions Thomas Linden QC, counsel for Channel 4, said McCririck had suggested he could switch from one 'thoroughly obnoxious' persona to another, more serious one.

But he insisted this was not true, saying that bosses could not ask the presenter, 'Please be clean-shaven, please wear a grey suit, please don't go for this extravagant manner, please don't portray yourself as slightly mad, please don't be aggressive with the public.'

Mr Linden told the tribunal that a survey suggested that McCririck was highly unpopular with viewers.
'Even without data, it's a reasonable assumption, isn't it, that the claimant's profile, whether that is in his reality television programmes or in racing broadcasting, was off-putting to many,' he said.
'A lot of racing viewers are right-thinking people who find this sort of behaviour obnoxious.'
Jennifer Eady QC, representing Mr McCririck, told the panel the 73-year-old had already suffered the humiliation of having his days and hours cut but had carried on working.

'Why? Because Mr McCririck was passionate about this job,' she said. 'If there was one thing he loved doing it was this and he had done it for 28 years.

'It was hard to draw any conclusion other than this was his life.'

She said IMG wanted a 'younger, sexier, more glamorous' programme, which had influenced the decision to axe McCririck from its coverage.