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I see they had a big team in Saudi Arabia, Nick Luck, Richard Hoiles, Oli Bell and Tom Stanley. Not sure if they were all there for the benefit of Racing TV but I believe the money is good if not the human rights.
Why do Racing TV do away with the very annoying & intrusive positional graphic on screen for Kempton’s AW meetings while continuing to have the graphic for jump racing?
Is it because the graphic can’t keep up?
Can’t wait for the National. They can only show ten of the runners!
Thought the Bell & Bully show was very poor last night. Oli can be excused as the lad was unwell but following the 5.30 we were informed from the studio that an objection had been lodged against the “winner”. Shortly after we were told that the first past the post had been disqualified. No details or information followed on such a major issue and not a single word on the subject from the two presenters on track. It took Tom Bull one and a half hours to pass on the reason the horse was disqualified and still nothing from the track.
In the round up after the last race the main presenter on course appeared to think the horse had been disqualified after weighing out light until being corrected by George Baker.Similar, after Justcallmepete was withdrawn after running in the 6.30 because he stuck his nose through the stalls just before the start (well spotted by John Hunt). Not sure it was good decision as I’ve seen far worse and nothing has happened. Maybe they were influenced by the horse finishing a well beaten last, would they have withdrawn the horse if he had finished in the first three? Not a bad sort of horse to back, collect if he wins but get a refund if he doesn’t.
Too much tittle tattle in the studio and not enough emphasis on the actual action that they are supposed to be covering.
Fully agree, Yeats.
There was a lot going on at Kempton last night. A horse disqualified after the jockey weighed in light, a dramatic three way photo which took twenty minutes to decipher and a horse being withdrawn even though it had actually completed the course!
The situation really needed an experienced presenter on track. It is not her fault but unfortunately Ella McNeill’s lack of experience showed.
She didn’t tell viewers why a well backed favourite had been disqualified. She also insisted the near side horse had won in the photograph despite George Baker telling her twice it hadn’t, as was evident from the freeze frame which clearly showed one of the other noses was in front on the line.
Then when the stewards enquiry alarm sounded, she said “The result of the photo is coming through now”, when it obviously wasn’t.
Five people on duty and maybe only one of them (Baker) up to the job. Oli Bell was clearly unwell and should have called in sick.
At least it was only a small Wednesday night meeting at Kempton but it wasn’t RTV’s finest half hour. It was unfortunate because the three incidents in the two races would have tested the skill of an experienced presenter, never mind one on something like her second or third presenting assignment.
Most dramatic finish of the day – 2.15 Haydock
Favourite and 10 length leader tipped up at the second last with the race in the bag. Horse left in lead had a 2 length lead going to the last but made a mistake and was collared late on. Both horse and rider were clearly fine after the fall.
No replay shown after the race or at any time throughout the afternoon, instead they showed again an interview with the winning jockey of the previous race that they had shown 15 minutes earlier.They must be too busy with those annoying graphics and that IQ Data stuff to do a proper job with the actual racing itself.
I did notice that Yeats and thought it slightly strange and out of sync. Perhaps they were trying to spare Hughes blushes?
I did receive a communication from RTV informing me the positional graphics ‘are designed to enhance the viewing experience’ and offers ‘accessibility benefits for viewers who may find it challenging to follow individual horses during the race’.
Apparently they received few complaints ‘which suggests that the majority of viewers find it a helpful addition’.
They do accept it’s not 100% accurate though!
Astralcharmer,
I find that explanation from RTV rather questionable. Maybe they could have stated how many compliments they have received on the graphics. I don’t think they would outnumber the complaints “which might suggest the majority of viewers don’t find them helpful” based on the same logic.
In any event, any viewers who might it difficult to follow an individual horse during a race (a red herring) have had a long standing method of following their horse (The commentator) On the other hand maybe the majority of their viewers are both blind and deaf.
Think it’s more a case, “we have the technology so viewers are going to have it rammed it down their throats whether its useful and they like it or not.
Yeats. Agree with everything you say and did put some of those observations to them.
As soon as they put those tracking devices in saddle cloths it was inevitable what was coming next.
All the data they produce now through Race IQ on NH racing seems an utter waste of time. It’s not like the AW on the flat.
There are so many imponderables involved with NH racing. For example where the ground might not be consistent between obstacles let alone on the inner & outer of the course. There probably isn’t total consistency in the ground in the take off before and landing side after an obstacle as the meeting moves on during the day.
I’ve seen a few clips online of the old Racing UK coverage. You could just concentrate on the horses and actual race. Perhaps they think horse racing is so boring it needs a gimmick or two on screen?
Their positional graphics only cater for 10 horses so that will be fun in the National. An old style National with horses falling left right & centre and the system would have blown a gasket.
“I’ve seen a few clips online of the old Racing UK coverage.”
I wish we could have it back. It was far better, free from all the RaceIQ rubbish. Even McNae was OK back then!
The presenters were generally better as well. Have some of the young crowd they have drafted in recently enhanced the coverage?
It was also much better as Racing UK without the Irish meetings. There is often too much on the channel now. The Irish racing worked far better on the old At The Races channel when it was often the main event.
So agree Cork All Star. The spread of meetings between the channels was so much better then.
I know they have Racing TV Extra but the picture quality isn’t great and you can’t record off that if you’re unable to watch it live (unless I’m missing something?)
When I watch racing on TV I want to feel immersed in it as though I’m there but the on-screen junk just gets in the way. Perhaps the gaming generation love this type of stuff?
Perhaps they could offer a red button option to remove it for old codgers like me?!
All that hair must be weighing Nevison down now.
At least Josh is there by his side in case he keels over.
Anyone watch the 2.30 from Naas on RTV today? The positional graphic threw a complete wobbly and seemed to blow a fuse in the timer on screen.
Get rid of this crap especially this week of all weeks.
Well it is a ‘challenge’ to know which horse you’re following in a 4 runner race. They’d probably still have used the graphic in a walkover before they changed the rules on that!
Still took over 11 seconds for the positional graphic to realise that a horse had unseated and that’s quite quick for them.
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