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Is it me or is ‘off tube commentary’ provided by those betting shops without Turf TV, the worst thing you have ever heard? The final two furlongs of a race apparently completed in less than 5 seconds, with races won by horses that have not been mentioned at any time previously during this disgraceful farce. I don’t know how they do these things, but surely it doesn’t take much for someone to sit in front of a screen with Racing UK and give us something that is at least accurate. It has now got to the stage whereby I would rather not put a bet on as opposed to listening to this rubbish. It illustrates the distain with which betting shops treat their customers these days. What next? Pundits offerring tips for the next race at Portman Park?
Hi – welcome to the forum Mutley – does anyone actually bet on the Portman Park outcomes? Presumably they do.
There’s "off tube" and there’s "off tube". I’ve not been in a betting shop reliant on the ersatz commentary you mention as yet, but from that description I’d presume it’s not being supplied by the same ICS team as commentate on behalf of Betfair Radio and others.
There’s some proper talent on ICS, from nailed-on future Racetech callers Gareth Topham and Steve Powell to the legendary Alan-Bennett-of-horserace-broadcasting Neville Ender.
Incidentally, I think the worst thing I have ever heard was the words "new single by James Blunt", followed by said single; but I guess you were refering to horse racing only, no?
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.
In my local betting shop, the sound of the trumpet to signal the start of the next cartoon race invariably creates a quick scrawl and a rush to the counter. Sad really. Almost as sad as seeing someone betting on Australian greyhound racing at ten to nine in the morning, with 8 runners and a 7/4 favourite.
Not sure how old you are Mutley, but I am old enough to remember the old, pre-SIS, days when all commentaries in betting shops came over the ExTel blower – so almost every race was was like the one you described.
Funny you talk about pundits and cartoon races. It is very rare that I venture into a betting shop nowadays, but I popped into the on-course betting shop at Huntingdon today, to catch a race from Chepstow. As I walked in I caught the tail end of some commentary before I saw the screen – the commentary was along the lines " …. and the favourite is unable to run to its normal standard and is only finishing fourth." I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the screen and realised it was a cartoon race. What on earth was he on about – the favourite not running to form? Is there form in these stupid races?
I agree with you about some of the betting ‘radio’ commentators, some of which are very informed and entertaining. The one i have heard dont seem to be in the same county as the race they are commentating on. Words that make me saddest are ‘ridden by R Hills.’ Unless he is on a front runner, I just can’t seem to get a winner off him.
Hey, don’t knock those cartoon horses!
I’ve yet to see one fall, some of the finest jumpers I’ve ever seen to be honest. Mind you, I’m still baffled as to why a 2 mile chase takes 30 seconds, with only 4 fences being jumped
As for Australian Greyhounds at ten to nine in the morning – 7/4 favourite, WOW, what value, every time I’ve seen a market on these races the favourite has been about 1/3, the second favourite about 1/2 and the third favourit about evens
Mike
I have watched some of the cartoon races and get impression that the commentators know the resut in advance of the finish as they often mention one of the nags when it is well away from the front and it duly flys from the back and wins
how come there’s never a photo finish or stewards enquiry at portman park.
steppledowns is worse, 5 furlong chase WTF.was in a betting shop once and following the outcome of one of the cartoon races i heard a bloke moaning that he’d "fancied" the winner and not backed it…..needless to say i had to visit the bogs to dry my jeans after pissing myself laughing.
Mind you, I’m still baffled as to why a 2 mile chase takes 30 seconds,
Steepledowns is an even sharper track than Cartmel.
with only 4 fences being jumped
Low sun is a constant problem.
I trust this helps.
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.
What next? Pundits offerring tips for the next race at Portman Park?
They’re way ahead of you on that one. If you’re ever unfortunate enough to open an LBO in the morning, you’ll here all sorts of calls for in form Portman Park/Sprint Valley horses. And if Cab Calloway ("The Desert Orchid of Portman Park") is running, then some sort of frenzy starts in the commentary box!
Back on-topic, off-tube commentary does sound frighteningly amateurish. You’d really like to think that the shops will improve their service by January 1st. However, the worst part about it is when there’s a night meeting at Kempton, and the only reason people are left in the shops is to bet on barely audible racing and to kid themselves that they are winning on roulette.
Weird to think that if someone risks taking their laptop into the betting shop, and has the likes of William Hill or ATR on, they can be watching the race ( with delay ) whilst no one in the betting shop can see it. Might as well just start calling them arcades soon. I can recall the good old days when it was just commentary and if you hadn’t had a mention with a furlong to go, you clung on to your betting slip deseperately hoping that you might hear those classic words ‘making rapid late headway.’
Hi all, having just read the comments put forward i agree with everything said, it is all a load of B******s, as for the virtual stuff would sooner watch the Teletubbies all day
and those lovely evenings , well thank goodness for War and Peace to pass the time away until 9.30.Those were the days of the EXTEL blower service. 15 fellow punters crammed into the corner, by the only speaker hanging precariously, with a monosyllabic commentary sounding like it was being read off a ticker-tape. I feel a frisson of nostalgia sweeping over me.
Mind you the body odours of some of those 15 have diluted my romantic image.
Regards
Those were the days of the EXTEL blower service. 15 fellow punters crammed into the corner, by the only speaker hanging precariously, with a monosyllabic commentary sounding like it was being read off a ticker-tape. I feel a frisson of nostalgia sweeping over me.
Mind you the body odours of some of those 15 have diluted my romantic image.
Regards
Hi Llanrumneyboy, welcome to the forum.
You aren’t, by any chance, talking about the old independent shop in Greenway Road are you? I think it was called Dave Roberts, but I could be wrong, it was quite a few years ago.
I used to live in St Mellons and I spent far too many hours in that shop. That was in the days when I was a mug punter, long before I started getting disciplined about my betting and taking it seriously,
and those lovely evenings , well thank goodness for War and Peace 
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