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Well as for the callers there i for one hate how they call the first 4 across the line then stop commentary! If you have a bet or own a horse and have to rely on a call rather then vision you want to know.For instance here if your horse strikes interference and storms home to run 5th or 6th it is very likely the caller will inform you of this.Every caller here has to call to last place.
Every caller here has to call to last place.
Not here in the UK, they do on ATR but not on RUK.
The reason they have to on ATR is unknown as ATR mostly cut the commentary off after the 4th or 5th horse home.You can hear the weariness in some of their voices particularly Barty when having to go through all the runners.
Maybe someone could tell us the reason they have to go through all the finishers on ATR.
Every caller here has to call to last place.
Not here in the UK, they do on ATR but not on RUK.
The reason they have to on ATR is unknown as ATR mostly cut the commentary off after the 4th or 5th horse home.You can hear the weariness in some of their voices particularly Barty when having to go through all the runners.
Maybe someone could tell us the reason they have to go through all the finishers on ATR.
Think this is a recent phenomina – possibly at the request of ATR/RUK or maybe even RFC as until a couple of years ago most racecourse commentators stopped after the first 3 or 4.
Worst of all he is Australian! Get over yourselves!
Jollyp, like others have mentioned, Jim McGrath’s bringing of the Aussie style of racecalling was considered a breath of fresh air and the Aussie influence can certainly be heard in the likes of Simon Holt, Richard Hoiles and even the likes of Malcolm Tomlinson.
Likewise, it was the "Voice of Racing" (in the UK at least) Peter O’Sullevan who had a big say in McGrath getting the BBC gig back in the 1990s.
Unfortunately, he’s now a shadow of his former self in the commentary box – which I personally find sad as he was different gravy in his pomp.
……. in what will have been a deliberate move not to use Machin, who was dropped by Channel 4.
You do write some complete and utter bollocks sometimes Crusty, it seems when you don’t know the facts you just make things up.
Looks to me Stewart Machin will be replacing Nick Luck at the big meetings such Cheltenham this year, he was at Newbury last week and Haydock yesterday, and that’s perfectly acceptable to me to watch him and Lydia Hislop instead of C4.
It’s well known that Channel 4 arrange for their preferred commentators to commentate at the secondary meetings where they take the course commentary.
Stewart Machin often did the two televised Warwick jumps meetings in January and recently, as well as Haydock.
It was noticeable that Mark Slater was at Haydock yesterday and that Tony Ennis did the course commentary for the recently televised Ffos Las meeting. Machin would have been highly likely to have done it previously.
In fact, Machin did nearly all of the Haydock meetings under the old Channel 4 regime, either for Channel 4 directly or usually through being the racecourse commentator.
I don’t think he’s been on once this year, since IMG took over, which can’t be coincidence as he was not keep on as a presenter by the new Channel 4 regime. IMG clearly have new preferences, hence the noticeable appearances of Darren Owen and Ian Bartlett at meetings where the course feed is taken, instead of Machin.
Normally, Machin would be commentating several times a month at meetings televised by Channel 4, especially when Simon Holt has his annual holiday in January.
Crusty – it is pointless trying to compare what happened under the old Channel Four regime.
The emphasis of C4 is now on their main meeting of the day, for which they will use either Simon or Richard, who are their contracted commentators.
In terms of the secondary meetings they are quite happy to take whoever is the commentator on the rota for that meeting.
Under the old regime Andrew Franklin seemed to share your unhealthy obsession with commentators and tried, where possible, to have his personal choice of commentator at the secondary meetings. The new production company are not so obsessed.
In terms of Stewart, as Phil has pointed out, he is now doing more RUK presentation work now that Nick Luck is doing C4 most Saturday afternoons. He was the RUK presenter at Haydock on Saturday and he is also doing RUK presentation from Kempton next Saturday.
Yes, Croc MrGrath is past his sell by date. Sadly, old age catches up with the best racing commentators. Jim McGrath was good years ago – vibrant, energetic, and full of enthusiasm – in fact, it was Sir Peter O’Sullevan who endorsed his appointment as his successor at the BBC ; and even he, the greatest of all, made many mistakes towards the end of his career.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Yes, Croc MrGrath is past his sell by date. Sadly, old age catches up with the best racing commentators. Jim McGrath was good years ago – vibrant, energetic, and full of enthusiasm – in fact, it was Sir Peter O’Sullevan who endorsed his appointment as his successor at the BBC ; and even he, the greatest of all, made many mistakes towards the end of his career.
I wouldn’t say "many" I would say "some". Maybe fully understandable seeing he continued till nearly 80, a full 20 years older than McGrath is now. I’m glad he continued till such an advanced age.
O’Sullevan’s dulcet tones were still worth listening to despite his occasional mistake, sadly the same can’t be said of his successor.
With respect, O’Sullevan would have endorsed whoever the BBC chose to replace him, he’s a gentleman.
Good to see that Channel 4 has changed its mind about dropping the Eider Chase meeting from Newcastle on Saturday.
Two races will now be shown from the meeting, including the Eider, one of the most popular longer distance races.
Two scheduled all-weather races from Lingfield are being dropped.
Certainly a good decision to show a quality jumps meeting instead of the Lingfield races.
Good also to see that Tommo is still getting plenty of new work after being dropped by Channel 4. He is joining the BBC Radio 5 Live team at Cheltenham, doing the reporting and interviewing role previously done by Clare Balding.
Looks to me Stewart Machin will be replacing Nick Luck at the big meetings such as Cheltenham this year
Stewart Machin has been confirmed as the lead presenter, along with Lydia Hislop, for all four days of the Cheltenham Festival on Racing UK.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 has confirmed that its race commentary team for the Grand National will be Simon Holt, Richard Hoiles (doing the old BBC "John Hanmer fences" including the first) and ex-BBC commentator Ian Bartlett doing Becher’s Brook etc.
Sounds like a great line-up to me.
Mark Johnson, Stewart Machin and another ex-BBC commentator, Darren Owen, will be doing the course commentary taken by Racing UK.
Full marks to Channel 4 for switching back to Lingfield on Saturday after the unexpected abandonment of Newcastle, which had ironically been a late switch in coverage from the originally planned Lingfield.
Good to see Lee McKenzie making a brief but unscheduled return to race commentating at the course at Fontwell yesterday.
Simon Holt’s microphone went on the blink before the first race so Lee, who was in the broadcast room for his role as raceday presenter, quickly took over. What a star.
Commentator update, Croc repeatedly called a winner at Southwell Jack Hawkins in the closing stages yesterday, he must be a fan. I must admit he was rather good in Ben Hur.
And yet again Malcolm Tomlinson failed to name either horse involved in the photo finish in the closing stages of the 3.20 at Newcastle, leaving it at "It’s desperate, they’ve gone past together" but then proceeded to name every other horse in the race past the finish line apart from the first two.
I noticed Paul Nicholls when interviewed the other day referred to the "Whitbread" at Sandown as the "Bet 365, Betfair or whatever it’s called these days".
To the best of my knowledge it’s never been called the Betfair and I wonder if this was in response to the big Betfair hurdle at Newbury last month being called the Betfred by the commentator in the closing stages and Betfair being a bit miffed about that
Croc repeatedly called a winner at Southwell Jack Hawkins in the closing stages yesterday, he must be a fan. I must admit he was rather good in Ben Hur.
And yet again Malcolm Tomlinson failed to name either horse involved in the photo finish in the closing stages of the 3.20 at Newcastle, leaving it at "It’s desperate, they’ve gone past together" but then proceeded to name every other horse in the race past the finish line apart from the first two.
Jim must remember Jack Hawkins from his famous film, The Cruel Sea, although he would no doubt call it The Cool Sea.
No surprise that McGrath impersonator Malcolm Tomlinson couldn’t bring himself to hazard even the semblance of a stab at who had won.
Hope the jockeys involved all "sat tight" and "pulled out the persuader".
Meanwhile, Channel 4 has confirmed that its race commentary team for the Grand National will be Simon Holt, Richard Hoiles (doing the old BBC "John Hanmer fences" including the first) and ex-BBC commentator Ian Bartlett doing Becher’s Brook etc.
Sounds like a great line-up to me.
Mark Johnson, Stewart Machin and another ex-BBC commentator, Darren Owen, will be doing the course commentary taken by Racing UK.
I saw that article by Lee Mottershead CrustyPatch but was a bit puzzled by something he said. He said that the Grand National was annually the second most watched race in the calendar.
I always thought it was the most watched race.
Commentator update, Croc repeatedly called a winner at Southwell Jack Hawkins in the closing stages yesterday, he must be a fan. I must admit he was rather good in Ben Hur.
He is getting seriously worse, and all it does is further highlight how skilled Richard Hoiles and Simon Holt are, and how them two are far and away a distance from the field.
McGrath calling Mr Moonshine Mr Moonlight through the early stages of the race at Haydock today, no excuse as they had only just jumped off yet he called it that at least 3 times.
McGrath calling Mr Moonshine Mr Moonlight through the early stages of the race at Haydock today, no excuse as they had only just jumped off yet he called it that at least 3 times.
Not forgetting mixing up Ultimate and Red Inca in the 15:45 (although the colours were the same apart from the caps), then in the Mr Moonshine race he proclaimed the leaders were "almost four abreast" when the third and fourth were a good three lengths behind the front pair.
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