John McCririck, born April 17, 1940 in Surrey, is almost as famous for his for his hats and flamboyant attire as he is for being a television horse racing pundit. He is an eccentric character who lives in London with his long-suffering wife of 37 years, Jennie, whom he calls 'The Booby' - a 'silly South American bird which 'flaps and squawks', and as a professed chauvinist, refers to her as his Minister for Finance, Motoring and Catering.

John was educated (three O levels) at Harrow where he operated as an amateur bookmaker before moving on to working as a shop assistant at Boots, a commis chef and waiter at the Dorchester Hotel, a failed course bookie, a Sporting Life journalist and a sub-editor on BBC Grandstand before finally making it as a larger-than-life television personality with ITV.

McCririck is often seen at the racecourse wearing a deerstalker and a cape, is extremely outspoken, possesses an audacious, urgent bellow and for some reason people tend to either love him or loathe him ? the television critic Nina Myskow once stated that he has as much charm as an armpit! Having said all that, what mattered about McCririck was that he brought a new understanding of the psyche and needs of regular punters 'fellow sufferers' as he calls them, to the television.

McCririck has been Channel 4's betting guru since 1983, and his fans have given him the name of 'Big Mac'. Even though Channel 4 do not cover the Grand National, McCririck has definitely had influence on market moves in the National. A prime example is 1994 when McCririck was particularly bullish about the chances of the favourite Master Oats. For weeks leading up to the race, McCririck extolled the merits of this challenger and by the morning of the National, Master Oats, who had been at odds of 40-1 when the weights were announced, had become a joint 8-1 favourite. McCririck never claims to be smart tipster but he himself has had big wins. He backed Zafonic to win the 1993 2,000 Guineas and in 1995 supported Pennekamp to beat Celtic Swing in the 2,000 Guineas.

In 1990, at Doncaster, McCririck was warning viewers that 'something smells' when a horse called Bravefoot who was initially installed as favourite and attracting huge bets, suddenly began to drift in the market. Afterwards when Bravefoot had flopped, it was found out that the horse had been 'stopped' by doping!! So McCririck is definitely a man to be listened to when it comes to horse racing! However, he does get it wrong on occasion ? asserting that a horse 'can't win' because there is no money in it or dismissing the chances of an outsider - only to see it happening before his eyes! But the sincere remorse he exhibits is what the punters love about him ? they know that no-one can get it right all the time, but he does his very best, and this is part of the reason why Channel 4s racing viewers hail him as 'The Punter's Champion'.

For some his boorish ways are a huge turn-off, but for the majority of punters who tune in to watch his report from the front-line, he is one of them ? having spent many years as a follower of horse racing, he knows their pain. He denounces himself as 'the pub bore with a microphone' but for many John McCririck is an example of a key part of our social history, a man who has lived through the days of street-corner bookies to our present day situation where gambling is part of the national psyche.