- This topic has 3,004 replies, 128 voices, and was last updated 2 days, 2 hours ago by
.
- Posts
You were a lucky lad going to Anfield in those days, Ian…
The Kop must have been in good voice going top of the league
Shankly pulling the stringsFirst time I went to Anfield it was all seating.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
55,000 there that day, Nathan, and as we lived in Sheffield Dad got our tickets at Bramall Lane so we were sat in the stands with the away supporters but at the Kop end around the edge of the penalty area so right in front of it.
An unbelievable sight for anyone at any age – I was only nine and was blown away by it.
Dad had bought me a Liverpool scarf and had to keep reminding me it wasn’t the best idea to keep waving it every time Liverpool scored given the increasingly disgruntled Blades fans sat around us!
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"Wow.. great memories that never fade
My older brother was a Villa fan so I had to settle going to Villa Park when I was nine..
He took me there Villa v L’Pool the year after Aldridge had left so never got to see him liveGaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Caught up with ITV’s coverage of Saturday now.
Very much enjoyed the feature on 1973, which included some alternative angles I’ve not seen before. (Love the shot of Crisp turning in alone after the water jump). Poor Dicky P, having to relive it yet again. Though you suspect it will be for the last time now.
Ruby’s race analysis continues to be informative.
And get me, I like Chris Hughes as a presenter. He’s a likeable guy, looks the part and has no difficulty talking coherently and interestingly. The sport can’t bemoan the lack of younger generations being into the sport and then bemoan a Chris Hughes being a valid presenter on the nation’s biggest racing tv coverage.
I think the ITV team coped pretty well with the delay on Saturday. It’s a shame there was so much filming of the protestors who invaded the course, as this is exactly what they want, and will only encourage them to do the same again in greater number. The same is true of the events at the snooker today.
Really felt for Richard Pitman in the 1973 feature; he will never stop beating himself up about Crisp’s defeat.
Have commented previously that I think Chris Hughes is an asset to the ITV team. He is capable of doing more serious presenting than the lightweight things he sometimes gets given too.
Just watched the Matt Hampson Foundation Silver Trophy Handicap Chase from Cheltenham on ITV, a single jumps race added to the Newmarket show on ITV4 today.
How could anyone think that Francesca Cumani is a) a good communicator and host of a racing show and b) anything but a posh girl who’s got the job because her daddy was a famous trainer and that’s she’s a bit of eye candy for those sad enough to require someone good looking on screen otherwise they simply can’t tune in?
I’m not a flat racing person. Having to ensure her plummy posh squeaky tones, spouting nonsense and interrupting those with knowledge is enough to make me secure with my choice not to bother with the rest of today’s televised action. Unbearable.
I think Francesca got the job due to her popularity in Australia, especially presenting for Melbourne Cup. She mainly took the role of paddock presenter, like role taken by Sally Ann Grassick in paddock today.
Maybe she is not right person for jump racing. But it is quite amusing to find out how different opinions it could be in different places.
I know she might not be everyone’s cup of tea but I personally find Leona Mayor knowledgeable and capable of talking down a camera whilst taking on board what’s coming through her ear. She also clearly does her homework and is very well prepared.
Cumani is utterly clueless, and lacking in any natural ability in front of the camera.
Totally agree QF. I can’t be doing with her. It’s very rare I post anything on here but she is so annoying I had to add my support.
“She’s a bit of eye candy for those sad enough to require someone good looking on screen otherwise they simply can’t tune in.”
To be fair to Cumani, that accusation could be levelled at a few of the other presenters on various racing channels as well.
She is such a terrible presenter. She is just rubbing it everytime about the William’s little girl and every is “the great”.
Leona Mayor itv – mute button or switch over.
Rachel Casey racing tv – mute button or switch over.
Richard Hoiles – switch over for alternative commentary.Some others aren’t great but not needed to reach for the remote yet.
I know its not ITV, but the ”wrap” Jenny gives the HK horses is far more informative than any of the ITV lot.
Sometimes she pulls a rabbit out of the hat with her paddock picks.
When I have watched ITV Racing and they do the parade gibberish, its only a few seconds and never cover the whole field. They could learn so much from how slick the HK racing is presented.“She is such a terrible presenter. She is just rubbing it everytime about the William’s little girl and every is “the great”.”
Crepello, that’s Plunkett doing the paddock who keeps coming up with “The Great” at numerous owners, trainers, jockeys and horses time after time. It really is quite tedious.
When Cumani appeared last week, if she were a horse I would describe her performance as very ring rusty and may come on for the run but that is doubtful as she is quite poor.When Ed Chamberlin stated what he thought was the big negative in Kitty’s Light chances yesterday, I thought he may come up with him being tired after last weeks efforts, maybe his jumping or the ground but no it was none of them. The little nugget was that the favourite hadn’t won the “Whitbread” for the last 23 years. Very useful stat that, thanks for that bit of useless, irrelevant information Ed.
For anyone who follows racing to the extent they’re on TRF, isn’t watching, let alone criticising, ITV Racing a bit like a F1 driver having a pop at the driving licences they give little children at Legoland?
I’m constantly bewildered that anyone here ever watches it tbh.
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"Pretty convinced ITV Racing isn’t catering towards the more long term experienced racing fans, it is for those casuals or just getting into the sport people that they are trying to ‘educate’ with a more back to basic look at the sport.
Cumani should never be lead presenter for the show as it really shines a light on her limitations, she was originally there more for a bit of the glamour aspect (maybe to appeal to bringing in a female demographic) and I do very well remember being at the Brigadier Gerrard night 2018 where she was doing the paddock walk and talk bit for the Heron Stakes (which semed to be her main job back then) and had most of the male attention on her due to the very form fitting leather trousers she was striding out in
With her maternity absence the likes of Megan, Leona & Adele (who clearly have better racing knowledge than her from riding themselves) have become more featured on the show and it will be interesting to see how the dynamic plays out.
They all have their positives and negatives but I do feel that Cumani is the one out of all the female presenters/pundits that is the least knowledgable of the sport (or that is how it comes over on TV anyway) and could be the one we see less and less of all year round.
I have a feeling Megan could be the one in time that could move more into that co-presenting role but she does work as agent to her boyfriend Kevin Stott (current 5th in the jockeys title race) and does a lot of work with RTV so it might not be for awhile yet…..it was quite amusing to see her jovially holding her own with a back and forth with Chapman at Sandown.
“Pretty convinced ITV Racing isn’t catering towards the more long term experienced racing fans, it is for those casuals or just getting into the sport people that they are trying to ‘educate’ with a more back to basic look at the sport.”
That’s my exact point, tbf, so I agree.
Ok, I’m unusual in only watching the actual races on mute via betting apps.
But I’d expect the sort of people who are members of TRF to watch RacingUK or ATR (though tbh I think they have lousy coverage too – I certainly wouldn’t pay for it).
I’d be more likely to learn something I didn’t already know reading an Alan Potts post here than watching racing channels 24/7/365.
For us, critiquing ITV Racing is like saying Teletubbies lacks cutting edge political coverage.
Teletubbies isn’t for adult viewers – and tbh neither is ITV Racing!
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"
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.