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I know that threads about commentators bring out strong opinions on this forum – so here is my starter for ten.
It was good to hear Mike Vince doing the course commentary at Aintree today – I hope this means he is back on the rota and it is not just a one off.
I appreciate he is not to everyones taste but at least he has some personality which comes across in his commentary. When the horses are going down his comments are informative and he tries to get racegoers interested in the race. His putting into context the Old Roan was interesting to the regular racegoer but I imagine would have been very good for those who do not attend the races regularly. (He is also very good when he acts as the course announcer.)
I get the impression that those in charge of commentators at RTS would prefer to have bland, characterless commentators.
Paul,
I am on pretty good terms with Mike, having worked with him on the Sportsman and maintained a correspondence since. We’ve met up a couple of times at Market Rasen this year as well.
He departed from the Racetech roster in 2003 after just one year following one or two fairly conspicuous mistakes. That was actually rather unlucky, when you consider what errors some more established callers can make and have made; but I guess he hadn’t been on the roster for long enough to build up a suitable reserve of confidence in him from among the courses.
My only experience of him calling on-course during 2003 was for a summer jumps meeting I attended at Southwell, and he did a more than decent job.
The Aintree arrangement, in common with the Shergar Cup one, is something that exists outside of the regular Racetech roster; and in both cases the courses have asked for Mike especially, which is a nice endorsement of his skills.
To the best of my knowledge, however, no permanent recall to the Racetech roster is in the offing.
gc
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.
As well as. I think he has essentially been freelance for yonks, be that for ATR, SIS, Radio 5 Five, The Sportsman, Ascot Racecourse, Aintree Racecourse, Market Rasen Racecouse, or any combination of the above – I know I’d give my eye teeth for a portfolio like that.
gc
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.
He was poor when he previously did it but can’t comment on his efforts today as RUK decided to have their own commentator. Pity they don’t do this with some others
Where was Mike Vince I only heard Richard Hoiles doing the commentary for RUK and JimMcgrath for BBC.
Where was Mike Vince I only heard Richard Hoiles doing the commentary for RUK and JimMcgrath for BBC.
Steve – Mike Vince was doing the on-course commentary – at one point there were actually four commentators, as John Hunt was there covering the Old Roan, presumably for R5 Live.
LOL Corm – it is incomplete without it, for sure…
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.
AFAIK, Mike has done this fixture for the past few seasons at the request of the sponsors. I thought he did pre-race banter and build up very well yesterday, my only criticism was that some of the identification in the big fields could have been better- but to be fair, he doesn’t get on course "match practice"…
I was on nodding terms with Mike from The Sportsman but only met him properly at this year’s Shergar Cup. Some of his comments during commentary are a little "forced" and obviously rehearsed – I think he is ideal as a raceday host but maybe not as a commentator. Incidentally, a few minutes in his company shows his anorak to be of a size to rival Mr. Grayson’s, if you know what I mean – impressive.
Different colour though!!!!!!
I was at Aintree Sunday and was a little surprised to hear Mike doing the course commentary.
Did a decent enough job I thought.Thank you both.
(I think)
gc
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.
Hi all, well as i work in a betting shop it is quite interesting to here them all, for me however they all do a reasonable job because if they were all the same it would be pretty boring, although i do appreciate the punters wanting consistency.
My favourite one’s are Richard Hoiles, Mike Cattermole, Lee Mckenzie, Simon Holt, Ian Bartlett and for me one who deserves to do a grade one course more frequently than he doe’s Martin Harris.
Can I put in a small plug for Alex Steedman who I’ve heard giving some off tube commentaries recently as well as co-presenting on RUK; he was previously most conspicuous as "that scottish bloke" who was an integral part of Ladbrokes’ in house audio team. The latter role is a bit of a poisoned chalice as the maxim is "no dead air" and it can be grating sitting in a betting shop hearing the same voices ad nauseum. Mr Steedman has shown himself to be a cut above that role and I’d rate him an excellent commentator and deserving of greater coverage. Wonder if he’ll get a chance to expand his portfolio?
HI again in my piece regarding Racecourse Commentators i forgot to mention Stewart Machin so i would like to put that right now.
Cheers.
I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot more of Gareth Topham and Steve Powell in the near future – both regularly appearing on the ICS off-tube commentary service now, and both very, very good indeed in spite of their comparative youth (Topham is still only 19, if memory serves).
gc
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.
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