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Classic line by Steve Dennis in today’s ‘Post, ‘five or six runners creaking their way around in single file for two and a half miles’.
Why were the horses creaking? I’ve heard floorboards creak and possibly door hinges, but I’ve not heard a creaky horse. And isn’t creak an intransitive verb?
The quote comes from an interview with Des Scahil. What a tired old man he comes across as. Virtually admits he doesn’t enjoy racing anymore and only goes for the money. Also moans that the fixture list is too much. I’d like to see him do a wife swap style swap with someone like Richard Hoiles for a week. The line that stood out for me is ‘I do very little preparation before each race’. It shows Des, it shows.
The line that stood out for me is ‘I do very little preparation before each race’. It shows Des, it shows.
That stood out for me too. Understandable if he was getting it right but I’m sick of him saying "lost one there" without naming the horse and it must be 50/50 he even spots a faller.
Des Scahil really scrapes the barrel filling in during races. Regularly use a line like; as they jump the last on the far side and then on to the next that will take them on the approach to the turn in. This is good for at least 2 furlongs when he doesn’t need to mention a horse.
Classic line by Steve Dennis in today’s ‘Post, ‘five or six runners creaking their way around in single file for two and a half miles’.
Well that covers about 5% of the Irish National Hunt season. What about the 30 runner Maiden Hurdles, the 20-odd runner Handicap Hurdles, Beginners’ Chases and Handicap Chases?
Rob
The line that stood out for me is ‘I do very little preparation before each race’. It shows Des, it shows.
Doesn’t it just. You could maybe forgive a certain lack of preparation if he brought a little colour or variety into his commentary, but instead he sticks to the ‘school register’ style: Horse A in the lead, followed by Horse B, followed by Horse C, all the way through to Horse Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
He surpassed himself in this year’s Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown. The course was suddenly shrouded in fog as the race went off, so from the second fence or thereabouts to approx four or three out, Des said…precisely nothing. Not one word. Nada. Zilch. Good work, Dessie.
I had much this conversation with some chaps at ICS prior to a stint on the radio yesterday. Given that he is the foremost commentator in Ireland (on bookings at least), and as such holds a position many people would give their eye teeth to occupy in his stead, Scahill’s candid apathy for the job borders on the contemptuous.
Surely he would have been better advised not to have accepted the RP’s offer of a profile on him, or at the very least kept some of the more reputation-damaging opinions private, however stridently he may hold them.
He makes mention of the fact he probably only has a couple more years or so in commentating before jacking it in. On the basis of yesterday’s piece, it would not surprise me any if the Irish arm of Racetech (or whosoever allocates commentators their meetings over there) were moved to accelerate the process of giving the hungrier (judged on his willingness to do stints over here from time to time), enthusiastic and more proficient Jerry Hannon a greater slice of the workload.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)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.
The profile showed DS in a bad light. He’s only in the game for the money.
He obviously thinks he does not need to prepare as he cannot get any better. The fact is lack of preparation will always show and we now know why he is as poor as he is at times.
It’s honest of him to say that he does not like he work anymore, but I can’t help thinking that if he had come into the sport via working nights down a pit he would have more of an appreciation of being a pro in the racing industry.
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