ITV Racing has come a long way since that rainy New Year’s Day first offering from Cheltenham.

It brought pages of critical letters to the racing papers with some claiming they would not continue watching. Ten months on, as the flat season approaches its end, things look a bit more rosy.

Yes, many things are different from the old Channel 4 offering, but would anyone really want to go back to the boys in the booth?

It’s unfortunate that we see less of the ITV coverage in Ireland but they have picked the right elements from all the general racing TV coverage and put together a package which should please everyone.

It should appeal to casual viewers as well as professionals. Certain experts are missed but the general presentation is vastly improved from the 2016 programmes on Channel 4.

One instance, highlighted by Ed Chamberlain on the Cambridgeshire coverage recently, demonstrated the level of detail that they are prepared to seek out.

He noted that a member of the crew had gone around and got the name of the lad leading up every horse. That’s 34 horses in one race on a busy afternoon.

The winner’s lad then got a mention straight away while leading in his horse. I’m not sure that would have been done by the old Channel 4 team. And it’s proper order.