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Yes moehat TOO true – there would have been an outcry and totally correct for there to be one too!
I thought it was at best a shambles and at worst damaging to the sport.
Deaths and injuries happen in the sport, all of us who follow it know that, and to the rider as well as the horse. But we can’t just pretend it doesn’t happen. To not have alternative shots to cut to on the second circuit and then TO REPLAY THE WHOLE RACE WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEATHS was just appalling. Either the shots should have been cut or some comment made – considering their boasts about the huge team, and the "spotters", they should have known who the horses were (certainly Ornais) and said something.
Trying to pretend it wasn’t happening is just grist to the Animal Aid mill.
I dislike BBC coverage of the meeting anyway. I do not care about footballers, "celebs" and badly dressed "ladies", and they seem to put off actually showing a horse for as long as possible.
Aside from the BBC, the scenes after the race were shmabolic too – it looked like half the stands had come onto the course while a number of people were desperately trying to cool down dehydrated horses. I read that only Oscar Time made it back to the winners enclosure, with the others too distressed to return. That’s not exactly a good image either.
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There really is no pleasing a lot of people that call themselves racing fans. If you’re so appalled by it all switch off and find another pursuit. Sadly death is a fact of life and nature. It’s going to happen! What do people think happens to flight animals in the wild? A peaceful, natural passing?
Anyone begrudging connections for putting their horse first as soon as the race ended is barking up the wrong tree. Sports fans baying like hounds after a great days racing does nothing for the sport either. But that’s just my opinion. When it comes to so many things in life you’ll never please everybody and you’ll do remarkably well satisfying a majority.
I’m surprised nobody mentioned the bumbling old caller who couldn’t work out what had fallen from one fence to the next.
Why is it that people object so strongly to post race interviews? What else are broadcasters going to do? Dribble on with non stop professional post race analysis? Only speak to gushing owners and market driven trainers? That wont bring anyone else to the sport that’s for sure!
Yesterdays National did nothing for racing,screaming crowds,a plethora of flesh on display, the whole thing was tasteless and the BBC’s coverage embraced it all, their camera angles were rubbish , i had to get up to within a couple of feet of the tele just to work who was where during running, I am not going to harp on about the equine fatalities its all been said before, but i do think a reduction in the size of the field would be advantageous.
The footage of Pitman going over the National fences with the likes of Harvey Smith and Mark Phillips was good, I enjoyed that.
Some of the ‘betting’ pieces were okay. I suspect that the public quite enjoyed seeing betting slips with £20,000 on a horse and gave them something to consider when watching a race. Parrot and GW are probably decent fellas but that ‘act’ of theirs doesn’t really do it for me and that’s a shame as GW obviously knows his stuff and could offer a lot more.
I found the camera angles unhelpful and JMcGrath, as ever, thoroughly unsuited to the demands of live commentary.
I’m not sure whether Turf TV and the BBC shared any camera resources, but the opening shots of the cavalry charge to the first fence, taken with a zoom lens from a camera positioned down the course, with the packed Queen Mary stand in the background bathed in bright sunlight, was one of the finest horse racing shots I’ve ever seen. I watched it with ten or eleven people and there was silence. It was majestic.
I also thought the BBC Grand National coverage was great yesterday. Great race commentary too in particular from Darren Owen and Ian Bartlett.
I must admit the overhead camera shot of a fallen horse covered in a green cover was not good at all in my opinion.
Steve
Spot on Max! Watched the race on the BBC, seen this afterwards, it was a great shot.
I’ve said before, that showing, in particular, Bechers and the 13th up to The Chair, the way they do these days, is akin to showing The World Cup Final with a camera attached to The Corner Flag. As for the overhead angles used at the 3rd and Valentines, well, as already stated on this thread, should really be used for after race analysis only. This is not difficult stuff. These angles are not good enough. End of.
As for the rest of the coverage, I thought it was "ok". Clearly, Parrot and Wiltshire don’t work as a comedy double act, which is a shame, as that’s obviously what The BBC are trying for. I think they’re trying to create a modern day Saint and Greavsie, but they should just let them be themselves, you can’t force these things. There’s a lot more dislikeable people fronting both racing and other sports, so I’m quite happy for them to stay, if they could just dumb it down a bit. They’re still miles better though, than Angus "we still don’t know who’s going to be Grand National Favourite" Loughran. Sadly, we were spoilt by Graham Rock, he’s sorely missed.
As for Balding, well, she’s passionate enough about the sport, but I just haven’t really taken to her. On the plus side, Sue Barkers no longer invovled.
Jim McGraths commentaries on the Thursday and Friday races, were I’m afraid, and I’m putting this politely, sh1t. For the second year in a row, he raised him game slightly on the Saturday. Time for a change, but seems a decent bloke, wouldn’t mind seeing him used for anlaysis and discussion.
My main gripe on Grand National day has always been the fascination with visiting celebrities. I really don’t care what Cliff Richard, or Cilla Black have to say. It didn’t seem as bad on that front this year. I thought the piece with Steve Mcmanaman was good, even if Rishi Persad was involved.
I am aware though, that after yesterday, there are more serious issues to deal with, and I sincerely hope, that for years to come, I will be watching a proper 40 runner Grand National, with nothing more to worry about than poor camera angles, annoying celebrities and presenters, and if that’s the case, I’ll never say a bad word about them again. We’ll see!
I’m pretty disgruntled with the BBC today. I pay my license fee quite happily
but, as far as my chosen sport goes I feel that I am somewhat short changed. They pick and choose which races to show and they get less and less each year.To top this off their incompetence during this years race is putting the National under threat. I have nothing but praise for Clare Balding and I must admit to liking Wiltshire and Parrott. Can’t help but feel Clare might refuse to cover the race next year.
Unremarkable coverage for me,niether great but certainly nothing to complain about.
I’m sure if the director had a chance to do so they would have avoided the camera shot of the stricken horse under the tarpaulin as the field went around the fence because that is an awful graphic image that brings home the high price paid far too vividly for even the most hardened racing person.
As for complaints about the use of the word obstacle allegedly used by Mick Fitzgerald…….these shouldn’t even be dignified by a response as for whatever people want to accuse the BBC of they would never deliberately make light or be disrespectful of a situation like that………
On a lighter but more curious note…….I know I shouldn’t but Gary Wilshire has something about him that is just right for his betting ring spot…..for someone who hasn’t had any training or experience I think he has some talent for broadcasting.
Richard Dunwoody on the other hand is terminally dull and has no talent for generating interest.Seems a general malaise about BBC racing. You know something is wrong when in all honesty I would sooner have Derek Thomson doing it all.
Too many people involved, too many in camera shot.Why did the camera have to keep going back to Persad and Dunwoody in the paddock – just show the horses and let Dickie Pitman comment on that.
Balding is very competent although not to my taste (Hyacinth Bucketesque).McGrath could probably be used ok in some capacity but his commentaries have been dragging the whole thing down for years.Spotting that it was The Giant Bolster that had fallen in the small field novice chase had a difficulty tarif of about 1/10 but he failed it abysmally.
I like Wiltshire and think he could be used more effectively. The other commentators used did a pretty good job I thought.
A bit of local colour from John Parrott. Hmmm wasn`t Margi Clarke available?Think we should have a head on shot of the finish for all of the brave finishers.Yes I know we`d miss the presentation if we wait for Piraya.
Still, nothing much else for them to spoil now
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