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He was not commentating today.
It would be interesting to know why if any one knows.Because for some years now they’ve rotated the commentators around each day.
He was not commentating today.
It would be interesting to know why if any one knows.The commentators mix and match over the four days, meaning that there are different combinations alternating races on different days. This means that there will be a day, or sometimes two, when one of the three is not among the combination commentating that day.
They usually take it in turns over the years to call the biggest races.
Channel 4 copied the then course commentary arrangements one year by having two commentators, Graham Goode and Simon Holt, doing different sections of the same race. Pointless but it was probably a training ground for Simon Holt who, I seem to remember, took over the entire Cheltenham commentaries the next year.
Poor Simon seems to be getting a lot of stick this year. No doubt he’ll be glad not to be in action for Channel 4 on Saturday at Ffos Las and Uttoxeter, when it is due to be Stewart Machin and John Hunt. Can’t wait…..!Watching the replays from C4’s coverage on Tuesday, have to say I was disappointed that Simon Holt didn’t even mention both Scotsirish and Garde Champetre having disappeared from the field.
A small part of a sad tale
Abysmal commentator, you could hear I think it was Mark Johnson in the background telling him all the fallers he was missing today.
Commentators will often have spotters to assist them, particularly in races like this and The Grand National.
Commentators will often have spotters to assist them, particularly in races like this and The Grand National.
Yes, but some need them more than others.
Thought the commentary at Cheltenham on Thursday stepped up a gear with just Johnson & Hoiles although I don’t think we need analysis by commentators at the end of a race, think that is for others after the race.
Overall the commentarys been abysmal on both channels, although Simon Holt was better today. Far too many fallers missed, even our better commentators seemed to be getting flustered when they had realised a horse departed 5 fences back. I think we are going back to the old cliche, "too much use of the monitor and not enough of the bins"
Amazing how much criticism there is on other racing forums about commentators like Mike Cattermole and Tommo having tipping services.
It just sullies their reputations and leads people to think that what they are doing is very grubby.
Both Cattermole and Tommo have really been slated for their tipping ventures. The Racing Post has attracted a lot of criticism for taking Tommo’s advertising in the paper. The Post has been savaged because it will supposedly be profiting from Tommo’s advertising. But, according to the forums, there has been a long losing run of tips from Tommo.
Why on earth do TV presenters risk their reputations for the sake of a bit of cash from these unsavoury tipping lines? As McCririck has rightly pointed out, why would anyone be so daft as to spend good money paying to listen to telephone tips? As he says, if the tips were worth anything and were the gold dust they are made out to be, the tipsters would keep quiet and slope off to make their fortune without the rest of us lumping on and bringing down the price of the horse?
It’s ludicrous.
I know Tommo will allegedly do anything for money (I refer my right honourable friends to Jeremy Grayson’s recent link to his TV advert for the Yorkshire hotel) but I really am surprised at Mike Cattermole opening himself up to bad publicity by joining the tipping fraternity.For some reason I have just stumbled upon this thread from a google search. I am ashamed to admit I share some of the negative views about Mr Cattermole, I suppose a 45 year old man who loves his racing and a punt is never going to warm to such a "laydeez" man, especially one who, like a lot of the C4 team, plays to the more populist audience. Or putting it another way blokes like me view him in a similar way to how Jenny Pitman once viewed Jamie Osborne!
However, I must confess I was surprised to learn of the long list of jobs he has held down in racing, starting off at none other than Timeform.
He has a very detailed website (somewhat over the top imo as I cannot see him struggling to get work) but then again maybe this is an example of the sort of ego which has attracted the more negative posts about him on here. mikecattermole.com
I guess given his years spent both in Halifax and then tipping for the Sporting Life Weekender, he probably is entitled to provide a tipping service, much as it galls me to admit it!
The Catt is very versatile, very professional and very good at what he does.
He is a very competent and polished presenter, a good commentator (although he has attracted criticism at times over the years for mistakes) and is well liked.
The thing I find most astounding is that he has been Willie Carson’s agent. If that doesn’t deserve the Queen’s Award for Bravery, I don’t know what does. That can’t have been easy.
I think Mike is actually 50 now.
It’s a shame he has risked sullying his reputation by getting involved in tipping services (he surely can’t need the money) and getting bad publicity in the way that Tommo has for his much-derided tipping lines.
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