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Hi People!
A friend of mine has sent me a beautifully scanned copy of the color chart John Penney used for his ITV commentary of the 1977 Anthony Mildmay – Peter Cazalet Memorial Hcap Chase.
Hand drawn with lots of interesting info, some of the runners included: Zeta’s Son, Even Up, Barona, Pen Grail, Money Market and Andy Pandy.
Until now, I always thought the late Raleigh Gilbert did more prep work than any other TV commentator, judging by this, I am a mistaken. Each card muct have taken quite a while to do.
If anyone would like a copy, please send me an email britishracecaller@gmail.com and I will send it out to you.
Regards,
Craig
I think you’ll find Peter O’Sullevan was meticulous in his preparation, so much so that he wasn’t prepared to do shoulder or extra races for the BBC without the necessary homework and left them to Hanmer. The preparation showed in his commentaries as does the lack of it with several commentators these days.
I think you’ll enjoy Peter’s Calling The Horses if you’ve not already read it Craig.
With regards the two commentators you mention, don’t know about their preparation but both were extremely moderate although Raleigh had a nice sounding voice.Hi Yeats:
I met Peter O’Sullevan a few times and, you are right, he was extremely meticulous. But I never actually saw him do his homework, only the results of it. I think he prepared all his notes a long time before getting to the track.
When I was about 14, I was practicing my calling at Goodwood one afternoon and as BBC Radio were not broadcasting that day, the people at Goodwood had been kind enough to let me use the commentary box usually occupied by Peter Bromley, who was always great to me, though a lot of people seemed scared to death of him! If Leemac reads this, he will know what I mean!
But at Goodwood, the only partition between myself and Peter O’Sullevan was a small glass partition, maybe 2 feet or so in height.
To say I was nervous was some what of an understatement. Thankfully, Peter remembered me from an afternoon I spent with him when I was 12, watching Desert Orchid at Ascot and was charming and even made sure I could see one of his monitors. I have read his book, very good it is too.
As a kid I had a bad speech impediment and it was Raleigh Gilbert’s voice that made me want to become a commentator and work on controlling my speech problem. I could not say S’s T’s D’s F’s B’s or O sounds without mangling them or stammering – so in that regard, I will always have a soft spot for Raleigh Gilbert. Raleigh could be great when his nerves held up. But to say he was always on an edge is not an exaggeration – and it didn’t seem to matter if it was the Gold Cup or a Novice Hurdle at Towcester.
The one thing Raleigh taught me which has stayed with me all these years later is the importance of prep work. He used to arrive four hours or so before the first race to a deserted press room, except I was already in there, sometimes, to make up his color charts for the days racing. Once he realized I was serious about doing this, we got on well.
I only met John Penney a few times, each time briefly, but I always thought he was a very good caller, far better than moderate. I do believe he at least did racecourse commentary up until 1996 or 1997 and did not seem to go downhill at all in his latter years. I always liked his voice, could never quite place his accent though.
Maybe I am looking at them both through rose-tinted glasses. But there is no denying their influence on me.
Even a greater influence on me, however, was Robin Gray, who, imo, may have been the best racecourse commentator we have ever produced and is criminally under rated and forgotten about these days. Admittedly, I am biased here, I have known him for well over 20 years – but a great commentator.
Even a greater influence on me, however, was Robin Gray, who, imo, may have been the best racecourse commentator we have ever produced and is criminally under rated and forgotten about these days. Admittedly, I am biased here, I have known him for well over 20 years – but a great commentator.
I agree about Robin – avery good commentator and a real gentleman. I remember seeing him at Towcester shortly after he had been dropped from the rosta because of his age. He was too much of a gentleman to rant and rave about it but you could tell he felt very hard done by. He was clearly upset by the decision.
Reading what you wrote about Goodwood – you weren’t the young lad who was featured on TV with, I think Simon Holt – I think it may have been on South Today?
Even a greater influence on me, however, was Robin Gray, who, imo, may have been the best racecourse commentator we have ever produced and is criminally under rated and forgotten about these days. Admittedly, I am biased here, I have known him for well over 20 years – but a great commentator.
I agree about Robin – avery good commentator and a real gentleman. I remember seeing him at Towcester shortly after he had been dropped from the rosta because of his age. He was too much of a gentleman to rant and rave about it but you could tell he felt very hard done by. He was clearly upset by the decision.
Reading what you wrote about Goodwood – you weren’t the young lad who was featured on TV with, I think Simon Holt – I think it may have been on South Today?
He was very upset.
It was not me with Simon Holt on South Today. I have the feeling it may have been someone called Damon….can’t remember any other details but do not think he is involved with racing at the moment.
My one brush with fame as a well known breaking and enter specialist of commentary boxes around with nation, came when Barton Bank was fancied for the Gold Cup one year and had a prep race at Sandown Park. Someone I had never met before, but I believe still has a role in BBC Radio’s coverage of racing, asked if I would like to call the race and they would record it on broadcast quality tape. Being about 16, I said "Yes!" I later discovered part of the call was used in a Cheltenham Preview Show.
It was one of three times, when someone took advantage of my keenness as a teenage racecaller. By the third time, a year and a half so later, I was so disillusioned, I gave it up until 2008.
Craig
Goodwood had been kind enough to let me use the commentary box usually occupied by Peter Bromley, who was always great to me, though a lot of people seemed scared to death of him! If Leemac reads this, he will know what I mean!
Indeed Craig, all BBC producers who worked with Peter were terrified they might upset him and cause him to launch into his booming catchphrase "Get Me The Director General!"
I worked with him for years and he was very kind to me, also an outstanding radio commentator who brought so many big races to life. I can remember listening to him on a little transistor through an earpiece during lessons at college, never imagining that a few years later I’d have the honour of being one of his colleagues.
I too worked with Peter Bromley for a couple of years, and as I called him Captain Bromley the first time we met, I started off on the right foot and always found him most charming from then on!!
Strangely, Robin Gray and Raleigh Gilbert were also the most nervous pre-commentators pre-race I worked with, but both were utter gents who placed great importance on their race preparation.
I too worked with Peter Bromley for a couple of years, and as I called him Captain Bromley the first time we met, I started off on the right foot and always found him most charming from then on!!
Strangely, Robin Gray and Raleigh Gilbert were also the most nervous pre-commentators pre-race I worked with, but both were utter gents who placed great importance on their race preparation.
I understand you saying that about Raleigh Gilbert, but Robin Gray? Unless, he totally hid it from me and I was by his side pre-race for dozens of Group 1 races, classics and large fields, and often next to him on the Devils Dyke at Newmarket, he has never struck me as being especially nervous at all.
My wife says she can hear a slight edge to my calls when I am nervous which I think was also apparent in Raleigh Gilbert, but cannot recall that in Robin Gray.
Craig
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