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Yes, I too thought the CH4 tribute looked shoddy. A short clip of Carrickbeg being touched off in the National and a few glib words. (Didn’t see the Morning Line – don’t watch it anymore).
I suppose that yesterdays program covered 8 races (in 2 1/2 hours mind) so there wasn’t much opportunity for features. Maybe there will be a fuller tribute during the Leger meeting.
I often remeber with great fondness his banter with Brough Scott on ITVs hrose racing coverage. It continued on into the C4 coverage, however Big Mac took over from Scott as Lord Oakseys rival in the banter stakes.
It was all light hearted, but very entertaining.
Sad to see him go, but its the best way when gripped by a debilitating disease.
I suppose that yesterdays program covered 8 races (in 2 1/2 hours mind) so there wasn’t much opportunity for features.
One possible reason, aye, in addition to perhaps that of them not having had the time to compile something more meaningful; though as Lord Oaksey has been so badly ill for so long now you’d have thought they might already have had most of any tribute pre-recorded in anticipation of his passing (as newspapers often do for obituaries).
Either way, whilst the sight (and sound!) of him being boinged all over Staffordshire on the end of a piece of elastic was actually one of my favourite televisual memories of Oaksey, I’d agree that something more substantial than last Saturday’s offerings really ought to feature no later than this weekend’s broadcast. Shouldn’t be too much to ask.
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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.
It wasn’t even three minutes on the Snoring Line, Phil, as far as I could tell. Just a few platitudes from Lesley Graham and a half-hearted reference to Alastair Down’s tribute in the Racing Post. Why they thought his bungee jump at Uttoxeter was the most important thing he ever did and virtually the only thing worth showing about him, I do not know.
Even on the afternoon programme, the so-called tribute was lacklustre, half-hearted, shallow and flimsy. :I must admit I was shocked by their "effort" on the Morning Line, thought it was extremely poor particularly as they had several days between Oaksey passing away and the programme.
Maybe they didn’t have the necessary personnel working that weekend who would be capable and confident of doing a tribute to him, maybe they’ll wait for Down to be available although I would have thought they could have got Brough Scott.
All in all, their "tribute" was very puzzling.
It wasn’t even three minutes on the Snoring Line, Phil, as far as I could tell. Just a few platitudes from Lesley Graham and a half-hearted reference to Alastair Down’s tribute in the Racing Post. Why they thought his bungee jump at Uttoxeter was the most important thing he ever did and virtually the only thing worth showing about him, I do not know.
Even on the afternoon programme, the so-called tribute was lacklustre, half-hearted, shallow and flimsy.I must admit I was shocked by their "effort" on the Morning Line, thought it was extremely poor particularly as they had several days between Oaksey passing away and the programme.
Maybe they didn’t have the necessary personnel working that weekend who would be capable and confident of doing a tribute to him, maybe they’ll wait for Down to be available although I would have thought they could have got Brough Scott.
All in all, their "tribute" was very puzzling.It was certainly very feeble and lightweight. I was amazed it was so shallow. You would have thought Oaksey was a minor bit-part player in the ITV and Channel 4 team, not a mainstay of it for many years, leaving aside his wider achievements as a rider and his many good works for injured jockeys.
It was all a bit of an insult. If they couldn’t be bothered to look back in their own archives and do a bit of research, they could have just cribbed a chronology of his life and career from the Racing Post and done a voiceover with a few pics. Not even that.
Meanwhile, it’s good to see that the Horserace Writers’ and Photographers’ Association is introducing a new award in Oaksey’s honour at its lunch on December 3.
It will be for the journalist providing the best live, breaking news-style copy.
It was inspired by Oaksey’s own first-hand account from Aintree of his narrow defeat on Carrickbeg in the Grand National of 1963.Praise where praise is due and Channel 4 finally got round to showing a proper tribute to John Oaksey.
It took them until the second day of their three televised days from Doncaster but Brough Scott’s affectionate tribute to his old friend and colleague was very good. Footage of Oaksey from his old ITV days and clips from some of his distinguished riding performances were shown.
It struck just the right note and was spot on. John Francome added a few anecdotes afterwards. Makes you wonder why they couldn’t have done the job properly in the first place much sooner but better late than never. Well done to them.
A reminder too of how good Brough Scott can be at his best on TV during his occasional guest appearances on Channel 4. I also saw him paying tribute to Oaksey on Racing Post TV shortly after it was announced that Oaksey had died so, again, it makes you wonder why Channel 4 dragged its feet for so long initially.
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