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Oh that’s ok then! You’ll have to excuse me; with a wedding at the weekend and my trip to Newmarket next week [plus having square eyes from watching most of the football], I’m a bit frazzled at the moment
As the weather was so good today I was outdoors today than inside watching the racing.
Anyhow ventured inside to watch the 5.35 race. It was 5.36 when I flicked to Ch4 and they were just about to "preview" the runners and riders for the last race. That kind of sums it up for me. A minute past post time and still not a horse in sight.
I have enjoyed the Channel 4 coverage from Royal Ascot and I think that generally the programmes have been very good.
Clare Balding has done an excellent, thoroughly professional job, as have Nick Luck, Graham Cunningham and most of the others.
I’m no doubt a lone voice but I still think Mick Fitzgerald does a competent job, despite the barrage of criticism he gets.
There have been some quite interesting features during the week, notably the Criquette Head feature and some of the behind-the-scenes fashion features.
As ever, I have found the best way to watch the coverage was to record the programmes and then fast forward the adverts and the lame, particularly tongue-tied and amateur efforts of Tanya Stevenson.
Once again, it was left to the professionalism of Brian Gleeson to carry her.
Gok Wan proved to be awful as the fashion so-called expert. He seemed to spend most of his time apologising for getting his descriptions of the colours of the Queen’s outfits wrong and telling everyone he interviewed that she looked "gorgeous" or "stunning" even when they clearly weren’t.
Virtually the only person he didn’t say how gorgeous she looked was Tanya, which was a mercy.
Eve Pollard, Julia Bradbury and even Suzi Perry at least knew what they were talking about by comparison. James Sherwood’s waspish comments on the BBC’s former coverage were certainly
worthy of a listen for viewers interested in the fashion coverage.All in all, the programmes were very good but I still hate the shots of fingers touching the screen during replays and the awful superimposing of parched and faded turf on the run-up to the winning line.
When the Ascot groundsmen have gone to such lengths to produce lush green grass, what an insult it is to have viewers see worn-out and yellowing turf thanks to unnecessarily superimposing this near the winning line.
Once again, it was left to the professionalism of Brian Gleeson to carry her.
I assume that that comment is tongue-in-cheek? I’ve been to pubs in Madagascar that are less "mock Irish" than Gleeson.
I’m sure Clare balding has her plus points but I would much rather see the horses in the paddock then her stomping around annoying people.
Once again, it was left to the professionalism of Brian Gleeson to carry her.
I assume that that comment is tongue-in-cheek? I’ve been to pubs in Madagascar that are less "mock Irish" than Gleeson.
It wasn’t tongue-in-cheek, to be honest. Brian’s certainly "mock Irish" and huffs and puffs a bit at times but at least he’s fluent and eloquent as opposed to Tanya, who stutters and trips over her words constantly.
Tanya tries too hard to be like McCririck by pretending she is on the side of the punters in the age-old battle against the bookmakers when really she gets plenty of associated outside work courtesy of bookmakers.
Speaking of bookmakers, I had to do a double take when I saw Jim McGrath and John Francome reunited as a double act when discussing the Royal Ascot racing on the screens in a William Hill betting shop. Francome was complete with glasses perched right on the end of his nose.
The Morning Lines from Royal Ascot have been a distinct improvement on the usual ones.
Tanya, who stutters and trips over her words constantly….
It’s a complete mystery how she got a job on television in the first place, let alone survived the cull. Her presentation skills are non-existent.
Tanya, who stutters and trips over her words constantly….
It’s a complete mystery how she got a job on television in the first place, let alone survived the cull. Her presentation skills are non-existent.
I’m wondering whether, with her non-existent presentation skills, our colleague Ricky Lake would consider helping to arrange for Tanya to transfer to his not-so-beloved "dross channel" so we don’t have to put up with her on Channel 4 any more.
But come to think of it, what has At The Races ever done to deserve that?
…arrange for Tanya to transfer to his not-so-beloved "dross channel" so we don’t have to put up with her on Channel 4 any more.
Nah; Tanya should go on RUK, purely to see whether she can babble more incoherently than Hislop and Mellish.
…arrange for Tanya to transfer to his not-so-beloved "dross channel" so we don’t have to put up with her on Channel 4 any more.
Nah; Tanya should go on RUK, purely to see whether she can babble more incoherently than Hislop and Mellish.
I think Hislop annd Mellish are two of the better ones around. Mellish knows is stuff and first and foremost is a punter. Hislop isn’t one of the horsey set who just likes to suck up. She isn’t scared to ask the difficult questions and make her observations even if it means upsetting the in crowd and people such as McCoy.
I think Hislop annd Mellish are two of the better ones around.
I’d agree that they both know their stuff, but neither can speak coherently. Lydia rarely pauses for breath, while Steve sounds like he’s got a mouthful of food all the time.
I think Hislop annd Mellish are two of the better ones around.
I’d agree that they both know their stuff, but neither can speak coherently. Lydia rarely pauses for breath, while Steve sounds like he’s got a mouthful of food all the time.
They are class the pair of them. Racing UK’s coverage of Royal Ascot this week has been absolutely outstanding right from Mark Your Card to a Racing Replay programme hosted by Angus McNae that has been a very pleasant surprise.
Ruby Walsh has been a superb addition to the ranks this week, a completely different class to the likes of Fitgerald on C4.
I doubt anyone from RUK reads these forums but if any do read this post I’d like to say thank you so much for a thoroughly enjoyable week and a truly excellent product.
I don’t mind paying a subscription when I get quality like they’ve provided this week.
The Morning Lines from Royal Ascot have been a distinct improvement on the usual ones.
Did I actually see this morning they were going to do charades on the ML with Matty Bachelor? No dumbing down of their coverage there I see..
I think Hislop annd Mellish are two of the better ones around.
I’d agree that they both know their stuff, but neither can speak coherently. Lydia rarely pauses for breath, while Steve sounds like he’s got a mouthful of food all the time.
They are class the pair of them. Racing UK’s coverage of Royal Ascot this week has been absolutely outstanding right from Mark Your Card to a Racing Replay programme hosted by Angus McNae that has been a very pleasant surprise.
Ruby Walsh has been a superb addition to the ranks this week, a completely different class to the likes of Fitgerald on C4.
I doubt anyone from RUK reads these forums but if any do read this post I’d like to say thank you so much for a thoroughly enjoyable week and a truly excellent product.
I don’t mind paying a subscription when I get quality like they’ve provided this week.
If you like Roy Hattersley and the laughing Hyena Lydia then sign up the only saving grace for Racing UK is Oli Bell the rest of them can’t present for toffee.
They have someone on today presenting from the paddock who is doing a damn good impression of Robert Cooper, bumbling away.
I understand these things are obviously subjective, but for me Hislop and Mellish are the best-informed and most watchable racing presenters I have ever seen.
And by quite a distance, too.
Mike
I understand these things are obviously subjective, but for me Hislop and Mellish are the best-informed and most watchable racing presenters I have ever seen.
And by quite a distance, too.
Mike
You will never please some people mate no matter what. If they were handed a million quid some people would still find something to moan at.
Simple fact is as racing enthusiasts we are very lucky to have RUK, we have never had better coverage of the sport.
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