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Big shame, always used to enjoy him calling at Cartmel not the same without him.
I think David Fitzgerald was a more than adequate, indeed ideal, alternative when he called at Cartmel last season.
He is no longer on the Racetech commentators rota, he still does "comments in running" for the Racing Post and I’m guessing he will still be doing some PtP commentaries.
Thanks, never saw that anywhere. Shame as I enjoyed his commentaries on the hunter chases
He is no longer on the Racetech commentators rota, he still does "comments in running" for the Racing Post and I’m guessing he will still be doing some PtP commentaries.
Thanks, never saw that anywhere. Shame as I enjoyed his commentaries on the hunter chases
I don’t think anything was announced, I only found out when I mentioned I hadn’t heard him for a while and I was told.
I’m no fan of Barty’s commentaries usually but it was a welcome relief to hear him at the Cheltenham Hunter Chase meeting the other week.
Has Leemac left the commentary roster as well?
Has Leemac left the commentary roster as well?
Lee left the rota last year mainly because of broadcasting commitments for the Olympics.
He’s concentrating on broadcasting projects again this year, although he does call in the Channel Islands and he’s done a few points this season.
He can still be heard on-course as he does racecourse presentation at quite a few courses, most notably at Goodwood, Fontwell and Cheltenham.
I must admit I do miss his commentating.
I saw Lee at Fontwell last night and it was good to catch up, it was good to chew the cud with him, albeit briefly.
Lee also happens to be a very nice guy as well, always willing to help, and it’s always a pleasure to catch up with him.
"He is no longer on the Racetech commentators rota, he still does "comments in running" for the Racing Post and I’m guessing he will still be doing some PtP commentaries."
What a shame – always enjoyed his commentaries.
Regards
What a shame – always enjoyed his commentaries.
It’s no secret he and I are not on one anothers Christmas card list but, nonetheless, I miss him calling – to the best of my knowledge he is still the only commentator who has used the expression "cock-up" whilst calling a race under rules – so he deserves a place in commentating history for that alone.
Lee left the rota last year mainly because of broadcasting commitments for the Olympics.
He’s concentrating on broadcasting projects again this year, although he does call in the Channel Islands and he’s done a few points this season.
He can still be heard on-course as he does racecourse presentation at quite a few courses, most notably at Goodwood, Fontwell and Cheltenham.
He was at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day doing the MC and commentary work for the New Year Sprint. I tried to catch word but he was occupied by others. I know he enjoys his visits to Scottish courses, so I presume he will put in presentation appearances now and again.
Rob
Astonished to hear that Iain Mackenzie is no longer on the list. I assume it’s not because of age given that it is now illegal to enforce a retirement on individuals who do not want to. I wonder if his only covering NH fixtures counted against him?
While David Fitzgerald is a more than adequate replacement I would not be so sure about John Blance, a less natural commentator it would be hard to find.
As for Lee McKenzie, he is much missed from the rota and there will not be many who were at Fontwell on Thursday night and Hamilton on Friday as Lee was!!
It’s certainly the end of an era with Iain Mackenzie bowing out after commentating for as long as I have been following horse racing.
He was the last of the old guard after Graham Goode’s departure from the course commentary rota a few years ago.
I didn’t used to like Iain in the old days but, after that, found his old-fashioned, idiosyncratic, often humorous style endearing and quite entertaining.
He did well to keep his place on the course commentary rota for as long as he did, especially with the advent in more recent years of the new generations of much more polished and TV-friendly commentators.
Regulars at Stratford, Huntingdon, Cartmel, Newton Abbot, Market Rasen, Hexham and other small jumps courses will no doubt miss him. He did the three-day Perth Spring meeting for quite a few years.
Glad to hear he will still be keeping busy with his point-to-point and comments-in-running work.
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