Matt Dawson is new presenter for Channel Four Racing

(More to racing than meets the eye: Jon Mcririck will present alongside Matt Dawson)

Celebrities are key to Racing's success

What a great idea by Channel Four bosses to introduce ex-rugby player Matt Dawson to the presenting line-up. This afternoon's coverage of the Glorious Goodwood Festival featured Dawson alongside the usual presenters discussing his experiences during his first week in the industry. It was good to hear that racing now has more of an appeal to him than a week or so before Goodwood.

"There are so many things that affect the winner of a race", said Dawson "Before I read the racecard and looked at the form and decided which horse was going to win, but it is about preparations, conditions, how they are in the parade ring".

Dawson has clearly already created positive vibes for horse racing through his addition to the team. Taking celebrities from other sports could be the way to attract younger viewers but imagine the effect someone from the football world would have on younger viewers. Maybe Michael Owen could be approached, with his love for racing this could be an ideal opportunity to attract new audiences.

Ex-snooker player John Parrott is another example of presenters from other sports making the connections for different fans, maybe Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan could guest present the Morning Line.

The lack of competition for Channel Four now that the BBC have such limited coverage of the sport suggests they are open to any ideas that may improve audiences of the sport. Of course some of Channel Four Racing's traditional viewers may be pessimistic about new ideas to attract new fans but unfortunately this is what it may take to build larger fan bases.

So, well done Channel Four for making attempts to re-invent the sport and bringing it to a younger audience, what is left to do is the marketing of it at the right times. It helps that the football season is not in the way of a Saturday afternoon just yet. Could it be advertised between episodes of The Simpsons and Hollyoaks midweek? Maybe not just yet. Let's hope Matt Dawson appeals to younger viewers or we may see Homer Simpson costumes in the grandstands.

('DOH' nt' you fancy a day at the races?: Homer may appeal to new fans)

Back Hanagan for Every ride

(Champion?: Hanagan is closer than ever to top jockey)

Paul is Hanagin' on

Maybe a career in tipping racehorses is what I should do, instead of trying to attract potential employers with blogs about racing. After Hanagan's mount Harrison George obliged last week and I had written about it in the last post it is easy to say "I told you so!". But sometimes it isn't so difficult to find that winner this year.

If you had backed all Paul Hanagan's mounts this season from 559 rides so far you would have made a profit of £10.57 for £1 stakes. Not much you might say, but bearing in mind that Ryan Moore and Richard Hughes, the second and third in the championship this year it would have cost £37.94 and £22.16 respectively. The fact that Hanagan appears to like to win on fair priced horses is a good thing for his supporters. Take yesterday for example, while Richard Hughes rode the best horse Hannon has ever trained Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in a thrilling event Hanagan was pushing all out on the 10/1 priced Mortitia later in the afternoon.

Interestingly four jockeys, Hanagan, Moore, Hughes and Dettori all have a 20% strike rate this season but Hanagan has had more rides, still, it is the prices that count for the punter. With Hanagan's prize money exceeding £592,ooo and Ryan Moore's amounting to over £2 million it is clear that Hanagan just wants to win, regardless of the prize money, or how important the race may be. Hanagan my still be overlooked somewhat for the major rides in the major races but surely this is all set to change.

With Ryan Moore yet to complete the ban he picked up on Saturday this could leave even more time for Hanagan to surge forward in the championship table. Priced up around 1/2 for the title he will have to maintain the desire to win on every horse he sits on as Ryan Moore creeps ever closer with the winners. The bookmakers suggest Hanagan will win but they are careful to only offer the 6/4 mark for last years champion. However, this week suggest that Richard Hughes is still not out of running with his partnership with Richard Hannon proving deadly so far during this glorious Goodwood meeting.

After the World Cup Horse racing continues to provide a spectacle

(The Italian Job: Frankie Dettori is an ambassador of the sport)

Horse Racing stands proud in the wake of World Cup

Having not updated for a while now it seems fitting to apologise for the somewhat lack of effort in maintaining The Racegoer blog. But excuses could be made following a notable lack of resources on which one can be creative as well as the lack of opportunity in the midst of headlines dominated by the lacklustre performance of 23 Englishmen and their Italian commander.

One Italian should be commended however for the effort he maintains in his and our beloved sport, a sport which will still be building up to the next event and really never fails to be another boring World Cup Saga is one Lanfranco Dettori. At the Curragh tomorrow Frankie climbs aboard Hibaayeb sporting the colours of Godolphin in the Darley Irish Oaks to dispute favouritism with Champion Jockey Ryan Moore aboard Snow Fairy for the home fans and French raider Rosanara ridden by Gerald Mosse. Judging by the performance of the French in the World Cup Rosanara should be left behind leaving Hibaayeb and Snow Fairy to battle it out for the 246,500 Euros. The class of Snow Fairy looks certain to show through having had outings in Listed races and after its success by a neck in the Investec Oaks at Epsom earlier last month under the same jockey it looks the one to beat with Frankie's mount looking to re-enact it's form in the Ribblesdale stakes. The addition of weight to Hibaayeb following that race will tell over the 1 mile 4 furlong event tomorrow but Hibaayeb's confident 3 and a quarter length success suggests an interesting tussle. Otherwise Sir Michael Stoute's runner Eldalil will be hoping to reverse places with Hibaayeb and go one better under Richard Hills.

Back to today Paul Hanagan teams up with trainer Richard Fahey again at Haydock Park in the 8:10 bidding to add to his already impressive haul of 98 winners so far this season. Hanagan's best chance looks to be with Harrison George in the 8:10 and a possible double to take him to the magical hundred could lie with Mighty Clarets an hour later in the 9:10 again for Richard Fahey with the pairing looking good for this years title.