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Jeremy, I think “tde” (taken down early) is a very good one. Will pass it on, keep them coming – humorous and serious alike
I saw the online Post today rather than the print edition, so I don’t know who did the comments in running for Market Rasen yesterday, but Kercabellec did indeed get a “taken down early” comment. The comments for that meeting overall very much met with my approval for reasons discussed previously – elsewhere in them, for example, the point made that Kikos was travelling like the winner when departing is appreciated.
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.
I remember reading one from the Grand National
"travelling as well as anything when fell 1st"
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.
I remember reading one from the Grand National
"travelling as well as anything when fell 1st"
OT, but I remember this boxer with a broad Brummie accent (Richie Woodhall?) being interviewed by Gary Newbon having been decked after just 15 seconds of the first round and counted out:
"Well Gary, oi was feelin’ reelly strong, boxing reely well- then he just hit me loike"
I half don’t want to post this lest Leemac takes any offence – for what it’s worth I think he is far from the worst offender, they being Messrs Knees-up and Iain Mackenzie – the crime being wanting to turn the close-ups into an exercise in verbosity. Someone should find a style book and ram it up their respective Jacksies. Incidentally, how does "just pipped" make it easier to envisage what happened than the time-honoured "caught post"?
There are times when using 100 words when 10 would do is unacceptable, and the writing of close-up comments is one of them.
No offence taken at all WW – I was hoping to get a good response from form book readers about what you want, and I’ve been given plenty of material!
I must say, like you, I have a soft spot for the old-style comments – "prom 5f", "outpaced, never nearer" and whatever, and sometimes a brief snapshot of the horse’s performance can be more useful that something that is long and hard to plough your way through. But some members of TRF do enjoy the current variety of comment, with race-readers able to use their own individual styles.
I agree you shouldn’t say any more than is necessary, but I suppose there is room for a bit more detail than the race-readers were able to give in the pre-replay days.
Overall, I suspect the solution lies somewhere between the two – enough detail to feel you can visualise how a horse ran, but not so much that it takes you several minutes to read the comment!
Have noted your observations, WW, and am always happy to answer any PMs or posts, or pass on your ideas to others if you like, thanks for helping to revive the thread.
I half don’t want to post this lest Leemac takes any offence – for what it’s worth I think he is far from the worst offender, they being Messrs Knees-up and Iain Mackenzie – the crime being wanting to turn the close-ups into an exercise in verbosity. Someone should find a style book and ram it up their respective Jacksies. Incidentally, how does “just pipped” make it easier to envisage what happened than the time-honoured “caught post”?
There are times when using 100 words when 10 would do is unacceptable, and the writing of close-up comments is one of them.
One man’s verbosity is another’s much-appreciated detail, I guess, Nick – you’d have had fun editing me at the Sprotsnam had circumstances ever required it!
Per an earlier post, I notice Argento Luna was accorded an “on her toes” comment for yesterday’s run. Good!
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.
I enjoyed reading the RP’s comments in running for Felix Da Housecat’s win at Towcester today:
Jumped unimpressively in crawl, blundered 6th, led 7th until slow 8th, ridden 10th, slow next, led before 3 out and came right away as others staggered up hill, jumped right 2 out, kept right up to work until jumped badly right last, soon eased
A 38 length winner!
"finished strongly under unorthodox handling"
Plaudits to Mr N Sutton for earning that in-running comment in the Champion Hunter Chase at Stratford on Friday.
You need to watch the replay to appreciate quite how unorthodox it was
My favourite recently was for No Heretic at Leicester.
Sporting Life says:
made all, ran green as fox ran across course in front of horse over 5f out, clear 4f out, ridden and hung left over 1f out, stayed on, unchallenged
Racing Post far less interesting
Made all, ridden and hung left from over 1f out, stayed on
Although RP may be more accurate in that Jamie Spencer seemed more taken aback by the fox than the horse…
"finished strongly under unorthodox handling"
Plaudits to Mr N Sutton for earning that in-running comment in the Champion Hunter Chase at Stratford on Friday.
You need to watch the replay to appreciate quite how unorthodox it was
Mind you, there were so many "unorthodox" styles at the finish I almost lost him for a minute!
"finished strongly under unorthodox handling"
Plaudits to Mr N Sutton for earning that in-running comment in the Champion Hunter Chase at Stratford on Friday.
You need to watch the replay to appreciate quite how unorthodox it was
Probably worth bearing in mind that Iain Mackenzie and Chris Sleep were doing the race-reading for Stratford on Friday, both men who do likewise in Points every weekend and have become very familiar with Nick Sutton’s particular gifts over the two to three years in which he’s ridden in the amateur sphere.
I – and probably they, too – would regard it as a dereliction of duty not to flag up the quirks or shortcomings of a rider in race-reading comments if they really are as pronounced as this, if it can help inform a decision on whether to back or not to back in future. Historically the comments in running for Points have been far further forward in that regard than the Rules equivalents, but the latter are catching up by and by.
Hence Tim Edwards’ rides on What Of It this hunter season having garnered comments such as "flapped along to lead before last", ditto the "wobbling in both directions" accorded to George Greenock, and so on.
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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