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I was going to suggest using Race IQ data on this year’s Racing League to make it even more exciting – but then I remembered it is only used on RTV tracks. What a pity.
Never ceases to amaze me how some long for the return of people from the past who were surely just as bad, if not worse, than what there is now.
The truth, for me, is none of them was ever THAT good – not, really.
Back in the 70s, when I viewed racing through the eyes of a teenage baby boomer just getting into it (I’d be a lot more critical today), Peter O’Sullevan seemed part of a golden era of BBC sports commentators, Julian Wilson was up his own backside but opinionated, Richard Pitman and Jimmy Lindley were affable, and over on the channel my father would seldom admit to watching Brough Scott seemed alright (but this was before I met him), John Oaksey just seemed a posh old boy who clearly loved the game, Ken Butler was a bit posh but also a bit shrewd, Raleigh Gilbert had a great racing voice, John Penney sounded like he had a mouthful of gravel and Graham Goode took “smug” to a new level.
McCririck upon arrival was briefly a dynamic “different” before he devolved into the right-wing sexist caricature he was and Tanya “the female” Stevenson was just his stooge.
And since then?
No one even worth talking about in my book.
Racing and betting are still great, the people in racing and betting and those who cover it?
Nah, no thanks.
The mute button will forever be your friend.
But for it I literally couldn’t continue to follow the game.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Wonder what all those presenters you mention would say about you, Ian?
Value Is EverythingI wonder what anyone that any of us ever comments about here would say about any of us, GT?
Would we care?
Not I, that’s for sure.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"If people choose to put themselves in the public eye then they are opening themselves up to both praise and criticism. If that bothers any of them then don’t take the gig, nobody is forcing them.
I am talking about legitimate criticism relating to their work, not the vile personal abuse so prevalent on social media which is inexcusable in any circumstances.
100% agree with Richard.
Taking payment to appear in the public domain opens you up to criticism – it totally goes with the territory.
I couldn’t begin to care what any of them (or anyone) thinks of me and just because I offer my views here it doesn’t mean I expect any of them to take any notice of what I think either.
Vile abuse, like Richard says, is unacceptable, but tbh all I’m saying is none of the people doing the job (a job I frankly would never want tbh) has ever been much good in my opinion, that’s all.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I think it is a difficult sport to fill the time considering the actual physical action time wise is a tiny percentage of the whole programme.
The more I know the less I understand.
I think that’s a very good point and tbh as the “physical action” is all I’m interested in, I much prefer watching (muted) coverage on a betting app with a race every five to ten minutes from a number of meetings to watching any one channel.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"Yesterday the actual action at Wincanton took up 12.9% of the coverage, Newcastle 13.8%.
Consider these flat meetings and assume they are all 1m races then the action would be 1.2% for each meeting.The more I know the less I understand.
“Never ceases to amaze me how some long for the return of people from the past who were surely just as bad, if not worse, than what there is now”.
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I do wonder whether those presenters might ask Ian…
How can someone who has the mute button on most of the time have any idea whether the presenters of today are good, bad or indifferent?
Value Is EverythingIf I could be bothered to answer them it’s because obviously I had the mute button off before reaching the conclusion it was a lot better on.
Tbh, it’s part arrogance and part knowing from experience that literally anyone who knows how to make betting pay long term isn’t in the racing media.
There are people in this world I respect and whose views I like to hear, but none of them would be seen dead either in print or on a racing channel.
They’re too busy winning money as punters and keeping their edges mostly to themselves.
I can think of one ex-racing journalist (who I won’t name) who successfully turned pro.
He told me he walked into Monty Court’s office at the Life and said: “I can’t afford to work here any more – it’s costing me too much in missed betting opportunities at the track.”
Court was completely fazed by it – everyone else there regarded it as a cushy job for life.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I broadly agree with ID. I would not go as far as muting the sound but I am quite good at filtering out stuff I do not want to hear, at least on racing programmes!
It seems to me there are too many bland presenters (Stanley, Persad, Lightfoot etc), too many ex jockeys (Fitzgerald, Weaver, Thornton etc) and too many sons or daughters of trainers (Millman, Nicholls etc). I am not particularly interested in what they have to say, especially when they are never prepared to say anything critical.
There are plenty of far better informed commentators and tipsters in this parish.
‘You will become way less concerned what other people think of you when you realise how seldom they do’
David Foster Wallace
good luck to all
Brilliant quote – love it.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"I’ve tried to give her the benefit of the doubt for a couple of years now, but Jess Stafford on Racing TV is awful. She can barely string a coherent sentence together and her pronunciation of racehorse names is abysmal. Yet another example of nepotism in action.
I think we do live somewhat with rose tinted glasses on some of the broadcasters of yesteryear (I watch some of the old races on YouTube and somewhat cringe at some of the commentary now – was a few days ago watching on You Tube the ‘1984 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup (Extended Coverage) – Cheltenham 14-03-1984’ and Richard Pitman was talking about Canny Danny’s dam and how she was born blind at birth and was described as something called a ‘barker’ and that some of the ones that don’t get right are usually shot at birth!!! I kid you not. Cancel culture would have been in their absolute element back then.
While there are some commentators/pundits I immediately mute (Richie Persad the major one and also Mark Johnson who I was very glad didn’t get the main ITV commentary job when it switched) but most of them I do like well enough although each have they own traits/foibles that I could well do without (which is where the mute button does come in handy). Ed to me is a proper presenter that could likely turn his hand to fronting most sports programmes (like Claire Balding) but you certainly can’t doubt his enthusiasm/love for horse racing.
The ex-jockeys (Walsh in particulary and Harvey because he cleary doesn’t take himself so seriously) are always worth a listen with their banter (although McCoy can be a little hard work at times) and for my sins I do like the marmite that is Matt Chapman although even for me there are times when he does go OTT….personality wise he is the closest we have to a Big Mac type (minus the betting bits).
At the end of the day all commentators (regardless of what they are working on) can have things that annoy you to varying levels, the better ones just have less of those traits than others and in racing for me there is a mixed bag for sure but I feel there are far more that don’t annoy me compared to than those that do.
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