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Here in the USA, they do not have colors drawn out as they do in the UK. To make matters worse, color changes are not reported in the USA so as a commentator, the first chance I get to see color changes are when the horses come onto the track.
It is not uncommon for there to be 5 color changes in a 10 horse field. Not just cap colors but whole changes in silk colors.
I have always drawn in the colors on the racecard and since taking up commentating in the USA have learned to cram the memorization (to take into account the new colors) once they are on their way to the post.
But with so many changes the racecard just becomes a mess and I end up drawing over other info I need.
So, I am looking to make up my own color charts. The only spec must be there has to be room to quickly redraw silks and it must be holdable in one hand, so I can steal a peek at it during the race if my mind draws blank.
Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks,
Craig
I can’t offer any advice on your colour sheet (I just colour in a little pic of key colours next to name on card) other than possibly adding an inch wide tab of paper to the outside of each page to give you a margin – to save going over the key information.
However if I was in your shoes I’d probably go down to jock’s room and see the silks guy. Slip him a "drink" and get him on side and then hopefully he’ll be able to advise you all season long. The silks guys, at tracks I work at in the states, hang up the silks for the whole day in advance so that the valets can just grab them and he then knows which ones he may be missing.
That way you could colour in the ones that are hanging up and maybe wait until the paddock to check on the missing ones – usually out of state runners etc.
Make yourself a template, and the night before C&P the racecard and all form, jockey, trainer, pedigree info etc that you need into one column, and have a column of unfilled jockey colours in the other column, corresponding to the numbered info sections. Take coloured pencils to the track, and fill in as required?
Does that make sense to read? I know what I mean………
I can’t offer any advice on your colour sheet (I just colour in a little pic of key colours next to name on card) other than possibly adding an inch wide tab of paper to the outside of each page to give you a margin – to save going over the key information.
However if I was in your shoes I’d probably go down to jock’s room and see the silks guy. Slip him a "drink" and get him on side and then hopefully he’ll be able to advise you all season long. The silks guys, at tracks I work at in the states, hang up the silks for the whole day in advance so that the valets can just grab them and he then knows which ones he may be missing.
That way you could colour in the ones that are hanging up and maybe wait until the paddock to check on the missing ones – usually out of state runners etc.
Adrian:
I will definitely check that out should I get a full time gig in the USA this year.
Thanks,
Craig
Make yourself a template, and the night before C&P the racecard and all form, jockey, trainer, pedigree info etc that you need into one column, and have a column of unfilled jockey colours in the other column, corresponding to the numbered info sections. Take coloured pencils to the track, and fill in as required?
Does that make sense to read? I know what I mean………
That makes good sense.
Thanks,’
Craig
Can you use a PC for all the drawing etc?
I know a caller who does that but I have no idea and can barely do a stick man in MS Paint, to say nothing of the intricate designs they have for silks over here!
Craig
There’s a ‘U’ in color in English ‘english’, if that is any help.
Colin
Hey Colin!
Going to an American school, teaching American kids, I have had to accept their spellings.
Still trying to get them to say words like glass properly, however.
Craig
Why not get a clipboard and use 8-10 pieces of A4 paper depending on how many races you are calling and buy some felt tip pens or some Crayolas.
Craig,
I agree with Jings Crivens – I use a Word template to do my racecards.
Here is a PDF of one from last week.
http://www.ors-racing.co.uk/Kempton090126.pdf
I use col 4 for any distinguishing features B – blinkers, P – cheek pieces, Gy for a grey. Plus from the paddock I note any facial markings plus nosebands etc.
I can also use the column for colour changes – I have a trusty pack of colour pens I take racing with me.
I’m another Word template person, replete with the same demarkation of fence numbers, the winning post, plus bends and (more so in bumpers and Flat races) furlong numbers.
Paul – would I be right in thinking that the silks are pasted in from the
Post
or PA site or somesuch? Or do you have some program that generates them?
The nearest I’ve come to the latter is the silks designer feature on the website of professional silks-makers Allerton (which Smithy tipped me off about a while back – thank you, kind sir). It’s a bit time-intensive firing in colour and symbol designations into the template, but it’s also quite good fun if you’re creative like that.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Paul – would I be right in thinking that the silks are pasted in from the
Post
or PA site or somesuch? Or do you have some program that generates them?
Hi Jeremy,
Before they changed the site I used to c+p the Post colours – now I use the ones from Betfair.
I too have tried the generator software as well but just do not have the patience (or time).
If I don’t have time to do the colours – usually when I do an overnighter and the hotel doesn’t have a colour printer I can use, then it is a copy of the RP, a pair of scissors and some sticky tape. Although with the flat 48 hour decs help with the overnighters.
For flat races I use the furlong markers as the template – apart ffrom 5f races where I use 1/2 furlong increments.
For bumpers it is generally along the lines of – Start, end home straight, start back straight, half back straight, end back straight, start home straight, half home straight and, in a long home straight, one furlong out (repeat if Fontewll or Fakenham etc) then finish.
Thanks, everyone for their responses!
What I have ultimately decided to do is the following:
1. Paste the race card to some A4 size card stock.
2. I have had a rubber stamp of a jockey made.
4. Stamp out the silks and color them in to the right of the horses details on the card.
5. To the left, I have my notes for various horses.
6. Should there be a color change, I have got some 3/4 inch stickers to stick over the old silks, which I can then quickly stamp and ink in.An example will follow when I can get my hands on a scanner!
Many Thanks,
Craig
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