- This topic has 31 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
Quite a responsibility, calling home races like that, because the words stay in your head as much as the sight of the horse winning. We met Simon when he came to our NH preview. He said he doesn’t think beforehand about what he might say, as it stops the spontaneity of it. I mentioned the Florida Pearl win as one that stays in my mind ‘and no horse deserves it more’. He said that the one horse that made him so emotional that he almost choked on his words was my old favourite, Hardy Eustace.
Quite a responsibility, calling home races like that, because the words stay in your head as much as the sight of the horse winning. We met Simon when he came to our NH preview. He said he doesn’t think beforehand about what he might say, as it stops the spontaneity of it.
It’s very obvious with Simon Holt that he doesn’t rehearse his lines and prepare pious platitudes in advance. It certainly comes over that way. No doubt he has a few possible phrases up his sleeve (that would be a sign of good preparation) but they never seem forced.
The quotes I mentioned earlier came over to me as totally spontaneous and natural in the emotion of the final few furlongs.
Contrast that with some of the contrived plays on words and painful puns of some of the other commentators such as Stewart Machin, who also does a good job on big days.
Graham Goode’s infamous contrived phrase in the Derby of "… and I swear it’s Oath …" provoked so much criticism in the press that I believe it hastened his demotion from the number one commentator spot.
Simon always seems a natural to me. His preview interview for Channel 4 at the stable of Paul Nicholls was also beautifully understated but still powerful.I’m sure all racing comentators have a few readily prepared phrases up their sleeve to cover most outcomes of any big race.
The great Sir Peter O’Sullevan was no less immune.
1965 Arc … " and it’s Sea-Bird on the wing !"
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
We’ve had several of the Ch 4 presenters come to our previews over the years, and what comes across more than anything is their absolute love of the sport, that has been ingrained in them from an early age.
Joe Clancy wrote a very nice article for the Steeplechase Times about Kauto.
http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … george-winThank-you for the link, Miss Woodford.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. I don’t think Kauto quite has the global following of Zenyatta. I’m sure many of us were shouting at the television / computer screen in a similar manner when she swooped down the outside in California, and came so agonisingly close in Kentucky.
Very few horses have the ability to make us do that. It’s something special when we place a horses personal quest above our own finanical gain and I’m sure those who had a few quid on Long Run found themselves screaming for Kauto turning into the straight. I wasn’t disappointed for anyone else except Zenyatta when she lost. In a similar vein, yesterdays success was all about Kauto.
His most gruelling victory has not been won on the racecourse, but in the hearts of the racing public. They have made him go above and beyond the call of duty to win their affection, but he truly became the peoples horse yesterday afternoon.
Is it because, at this stage of his career he somehow became the underdog fighting back? Whatever it is, I now cherish him in a way I never did before..that, and the fact that every race could now be the last time that I will see him on a racecourse.
Joe Clancy wrote a very nice article for the Steeplechase Times about Kauto.
http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … george-winThank-you for the link, Miss Woodford.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. I don’t think Kauto quite has the global following of Zenyatta. I’m sure many of us were shouting at the television / computer screen in a similar manner when she swooped down the outside in California, and came so agonisingly close in Kentucky.
Very few horses have the ability to make us do that. It’s something special when we place a horses personal quest above our own finanical gain and I’m sure those who had a few quid on Long Run found themselves screaming for Kauto turning into the straight. I wasn’t disappointed for anyone else except Zenyatta when she lost. In a similar vein, yesterdays success was all about Kauto.
His most gruelling victory has not been won on the racecourse, but in the hearts of the racing public. They have made him go above and beyond the call of duty to win their affection, but he truly became the peoples horse yesterday afternoon.
Yes, a very strange thing that you can back one horse but shout for another. I had a bet at long odds ante post on Dawn Run when she won the Gold Cup but remember being on course and shouting on my old favourite Wayward Lad. Part of the magic of this sport.
Anyone else think it was cute that they made him a special winners commemorative rug in case he actually did it?
It’s good that Kempton officials were sufficiently on the ball to think ahead and have the special winner’s commemorative rug made to be ahead of the game and to make the most of the special publicity.
No good them thinking afterwards that it would have been nice if we’d done that.
The course’s managing director, Amy Starkey, seems to be very good at publicity, which is obviously what racing needs in a recession.
Kempton is a pretty soulless place the rest of the year, with those poorly attended all-weather meetings, but they certainly make the most of their big jumps day.Yes, a very strange thing that you can back one horse but shout for another. I had a bet at long odds ante post on Dawn Run when she won the Gold Cup but remember being on course and shouting on my old favourite Wayward Lad. Part of the magic of this sport.
Indeed Ken, I was also a massive Wayward Lad fan with a big ante-post bet on Dawn Run. Although I didn’t change alliegence there.
I remember watching the 1989 Victor Chandler at my Mums house. Backed Panto Prince ridden by Brendan Powell Snr. Shouting him on over the last, until half way up the run-in (without thinking about what I was doing) suddenly changing alliegence… "Go on Panto! Go on Brendan! Go on Panto! Go on Dessie! Go on Dessie! Go on Dessiee-eEEE! Yes"! Desert Orchid got up by a head. As I punched the air mother asked "I thought you backed the other one"?
Value Is EverythingIs it because, at this stage of his career he somehow became the underdog fighting back? Whatever it is, I now cherish him in a way I never did before..that, and the fact that every race could now be the last time that I will see him on a racecourse.
You could be right, Moehat.
There is something life-affirming about Kauto’s ‘rise from the ashes’. How many films have been made about an old, forgotten warrior coming back from the depths of despair? More often than not in real life, such scenarios culminate in disappointment, compounding our general impression that such things can only happen in fairytales.
It’s amazing to think that many of those who made the journey to Haydock were anticipating it to be Kauto’s last race. The vast majority of those who made the journey to Kempton yesterday – and those watching on television – were probably just hoping for a respectable effort – as long as he comes back safe and sound, that’s the main thing.
We all lead seperate lives, but our collective instincts, based on individual experience, told us that Kauto was finished. To be proven incorrect in such a manner changes our outlook on life – hopefully forever, but almost certainly only temporarily.
Kauto had the race sewn up some way out, but we still daren’t believe he would hold on. Something was bound to happen, wasn’t it? He was sure to tire, but with every perfect leap down the straight our hopes were raised that little bit more, until finally he landed safely on the other side of the last and…magic.
The feeling is indescribable, but it’s the greatest feeling in the world – the inability to be in control of your emotions. You don’t know whether to laugh or cry, so you do both.
Miracles can happen and dreams can come true – Kauto Star reminded us of that.
I had to chuckle at this comment from Derek McGovern :
" But his ( Kauto Star ) victory yesterday owed so much to partner Ruby Walsh, who rode the kind of finish only Ruby Walsh can. Favourite Long Run’s partner Sam Waley-Cohen rode the kind of finish only Ruby Wax can. Kauto Star is often a dodgier jumper than anything you get for Christmas but yesterday he was faultless."
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Joe Clancy wrote a very nice article for the Steeplechase Times about Kauto.
http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/index … george-winThank-you for the link, Miss Woodford.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. I don’t think Kauto quite has the global following of Zenyatta. I’m sure many of us were shouting at the television / computer screen in a similar manner when she swooped down the outside in California, and came so agonisingly close in Kentucky.
He’s definitely known among racing fans. The big barrier to his public popularity is that as bad a reputation as flat racing has in the US, steeplechasing has it much, much, much worse. Even flat racing fans often are hesitant to watch it.
I think that McDynamo came the closest to breaking the divide between flat fans and jumps fans. Like Kauto Star he came back year after year and broke record after record. He won the American Grand National (aka the Breeders Cup Steeplechase) five years in a row by margins of 15, 1.5, 9, 22, and 6 lengths. Kauto Star is the Kempton King, but McDynamo was truly "The King of Far Hills", going 7 for 7 at the course. He was gorgeous, charismatic, and four years after his retirement his absence is still felt in American steeplechasing.
http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/mcdynamo.pdf
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ … 91F7322EDC
Joe Clancy wrote a great article about him, too. http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ … ry–big-mcFor me the best scene I saw all day was just after Kauto won the race and Ruby lent over to give Kauto a hug and a kiss. Really shows you how much Kauto means to him. Take a look.
6:25
Totally agree.
Great to see Kauto Star crowned the King of Kempton today.
Superb performance by the horse. Magnificent for the sport. Better than his Haydock heroics.
He did it against the odds, with lots of people queueing up to write him off not so long ago.
Great for the sport.
Nice to see Sam "Wally" Cohen get his come-uppance too.
Well done Kauto.Kauto Star victory parade:
http://gallery.sportinglife.com/Gallery … 60,00.html
Love the photo of Kauto and Paul looking at each other. What a terrific looking horse and you can tell he’s loving all the attention.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.