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Hitler outlasted a lot of people too.
Harbour
your not suggesting C4"s Jim Mcgrath should run it, he might have Adolfs hairstyle and sense of humour but the guys a "Halifax bomber"
when it comes to form!Brough Scott is pug uglgy darling, he is ok as a prescenter but he doesnt leave wanting more.
I agree Lidia Hislop is a good prescenter, Mrs Spencer looks like she wears the trousers at home, we know why Jamie has not stopped smiling since they wed, she looks a real yorkshire terrier….
I hope they dont hire Choc Thornton as a prescenter, he is a bloody paper bag job.
I like Claire Balding, she my favourate, Channel four should hire her.[/b]
"Horse racing DEPENDs on the ability of unique presenters and characters like Down, Thommo and Big Mac to get people interested enough to come racing. They’re racing’s Front-of-House and we should be getting behind them. IMO, of course."
Well IMO no it does not! Most people get into horse racing thru family or friends or a works outing – family I wud say is number 1. Very very few get into it by watching those idiots on C4 racing – very few. You’re telling me people watch Big Mac and that fool Thompson on C4 and then say "Oh I must go racing!!" Not a hope. If anything it will put them off going. Racing does NOT need Derek Thompson. He is a disgrace and just drives people away from racing. He is detrimental to the sport IMO.
Actually i got into racing via channel 4 and laughing with Tommo and the likes. I found the light banter entertaining before work on a Saturday morning. Of course you don’t say "Oh i must watch the sport because i have to watch Derek Thompson and Big Mac", that’s silly. However, attracting new racegoers needs the likes of these people otherwise people would just switch off straight away.
Why have such a hang up on Tommo? He’s just a nice guy (i’ve met him a few times and can honestly say he’s a really nice guy) who does his job well. Yes he has a tipping line, and yes probably does rip off people but they have the choice to call up and waste their money. Are you telling me you’d turn down the chance to own a tipping line if could make money, knowing most of your tips wouldn’t win. Of course not.
Give the guy a break. He doesn’t deserve all the criticism he gets on here.Everyone is making good points but surely the main point is this:-
Without Channel4 racing (regardless of who is presenting) there would be no racing left on terrestial tv! The bbc have sold racing down the pan in favour of rowing or other crap! You need a mixture of panellists/presenters on the programme to appeal to all. So you need a thommo/down, a francome/fitzgerald, a female/big mac. Cover presenting, ex jockey and betting. remember not all viewers are punters looking for winners that they are going to invest large sums on, just some entertainment about racing!
As a kid i watched any and all racing on tv as i loved it. it wasn’t about who presented it! I always remembered the horses and races not the presenters!
For the record, I like Stewart Machin, Richard Hoiles, John Francome, Jim McGrath, Mike Cattermole, hate Thommo, Tanya Stevenson, Graham Goode.
But its all about the horses.
Brough Scott is pug uglgy darling, he is ok as a prescenter but he doesnt leave wanting more.
I agree Lidia Hislop is a good prescenter, Mrs Spencer looks like she wears the trousers at home, we know why Jamie has not stopped smiling since they wed, she looks a real yorkshire terrier….
I hope they dont hire Choc Thornton as a prescenter, he is a bloody paper bag job.
I like Claire Balding, she my favourate, Channel four should hire her.[/b]
As much as i agree with you, i can see why your called "yorkshirepudding"!
I think the problem lies in the name of the program – the MORNING Line. It should be held live in a pub near the main meeting on Friday night. We’d have a chain-smoking Champagne-quaffing Nick Luck hosting, a pissed-up Francome and an invited audience a la Soccer AM. Throw in a bit of proper debate along the lines of "wouldn’t win if it started now you" and "won’t stay 3m in a taxi, you muppet" and we’re on to a winner. If Channel 4 don’t go for it Channel 5 will.
a pissed-up Francome
Highly unlikely – I thought he didn’t partake? Or are you being ironic?
I think the problem lies in the name of the program – the MORNING Line. It should be held live in a pub near the main meeting on Friday night. We’d have a chain-smoking Champagne-quaffing Nick Luck hosting, a pissed-up Francome and an invited audience a la Soccer AM. Throw in a bit of proper debate along the lines of "wouldn’t win if it started now you" and "won’t stay 3m in a taxi, you muppet" and we’re on to a winner. If Channel 4 don’t go for it Channel 5 will.
As long as we can have racingette’s…
Everyone is making good points but surely the main point is this:-
Without Channel4 racing (regardless of who is presenting) there would be no racing left on terrestial tv! The bbc have sold racing down the pan in favour of rowing or other crap! You need a mixture of panellists/presenters on the programme to appeal to all. So you need a thommo/down, a francome/fitzgerald, a female/big mac. Cover presenting, ex jockey and betting. remember not all viewers are punters looking for winners that they are going to invest large sums on, just some entertainment about racing!
As a kid i watched any and all racing on tv as i loved it. it wasn’t about who presented it! I always remembered the horses and races not the presenters!
For the record, I like Stewart Machin, Richard Hoiles, John Francome, Jim McGrath, Mike Cattermole, hate Thommo, Tanya Stevenson, Graham Goode.
But its all about the horses.
As some of you know from my conversatins with Jeremy, I am an active churchman and know loads of people who would not be seen dead in a bookies but who love the Morning Line and C4 racing because of its smple banter which appeals to the non racing fan. If it was full of racing data and serious betting stuff or full of yoof then I doubt it they would touch it.
C4 have kept the terestrial racing going and we are going to need them more than ever now that the BBC has sold the sport down the river for a pinch of F1 fuel. Stop knocking them. I actually quite like Tanya Stevenson and Alice Plunkett (she’s daft but knows her stuff, talked to her at Burghley three day event last year and is actually very nice).
Its very sad this thread has turned into a whose ugly, whose nice, who’s smart and who’s clever debacle.
I find it hard to understand how otherwise rational people can "love" and "hate" television racing presenters and commentators.
I really do not know of the women spoken of in this thread but would highlight the following:
Brough Scott is of pension age, so comments how about how ugly he is now, was then or will be are stupid beyond belief. But he is one of the foremost racing journalists of the last forty years and an astute businessman.
As for Graham Goode, if I were a young "apprentice" commentator in the UK, I would value his opinion over numerous other racecallers I could mention.
Derek Thompson, as I said earlier, is an excellent journalist and can be an excellent television broadcaster and a good race commentator. I have no idea why he doesn’t constantly play to those strengths, though.
John McCririck seems to have sealed his own fate/destiny.
Jim McGrath is probably the wisest form book guy in the game but gets overlooked in favor of personalities.
I have never known Alistair Down and never have really seen the appeal of him.
I know from experience that doing racing television is not easy – I do feel a different editorial direction is needed than the Morning Line Format. Here in the USA, many tracks have their own similar program for satellite/cable viewers and they are mostly the same. I am going to try this year to make the one I do different in some way, without being too esoteric or silly, but that is not an easy thing to do.
Craig
Just do what Beulah Park did Craig.
Get two gorgeous twins who know the formbook and get them to do a look at all the races.
Just do what Beulah Park did Craig.
Get two gorgeous twins who know the formbook and get them to do a look at all the races.
You think they’re gorgeous?!
Just do what Beulah Park did Craig.
Get two gorgeous twins who know the formbook and get them to do a look at all the races.
Do you guys get Beulah Park? I was there for a days work back in December. Calls are now on my website: http://britishracecaller.blogspot.com
This year I may be calling full time at either Presque Isle Downs or Arapahoe Park, do you guys get those tracks?
Is there a list of what US tracks ATR and RUK show?
When I have my gig confirmed I am thinking of contacting the Producers of ATR or RUK’s US coverage and seeing if they are interested in having a US contact who is a Brit.
Craig
Just do what Beulah Park did Craig.
Get two gorgeous twins who know the formbook and get them to do a look at all the races.
You think they’re gorgeous?!
Well, They are better looking than someone like Janet Street Porter but not as gorgeous as your goodself Kauto
Awww you charmer haha. Made my day though haha. Awwww thanks!!!! Eee. Ha. sorry getting bit carried away but thanks again. he he.
Attheraces have beulah i think. Or at least they did. Gave up watching after they got rid of the studio format. They have quite a few of the american tacks.
Will watch out for them tracks. Must be great being a commentator, is it not more difficult getting jobs over there being british? I can’t see an American getting a job over here with the accent. Though our accent is by far better so maybe it’s in your favour!!
Get two gorgeous twins who know the formbook and get them to do a look at all the races.
I believe the Cheeky Girls did their work experience at Timeform.
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.
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