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Maybe the timing is right – on ATRs Henry Cecil Sunday Forum tribute this morning he proudly announced Sir Henry had won the Cesarwitch once and that the winning horse was Cider With Rosie – which would have been news to Staff Ingham and Taffy Thomas! Cecil’s win in the race came a year earlier in 1971 with the Charlie St George owned, Geoff Lewis ridden Orosio. Yet another example of the all round sloppiness we have come to associate with ATR.
How ironic, his last ever commentary, a 5 furlong race and a faller he couldn’t name. Par for the course.
When he first appeared on the UK scene he was a genuine breathe of fresh air – new phrases, great accent and a sharp spotter. At the time he seemed the obvious replacement for Sir Peter O’Sullevan (who is peerless in my opinion). Talk about a tough act to follow but McGrath did it well.
The accent remains but sadly the sharpness has dulled and it’s probably a good decision to retire. I quite enjoy some of his writing and now that he is concentratin on that side of it I’m sure he has plentry to offer.
In a nutshell that sums it up perfectly.
This is what I have written about him today
http://bit.ly/14vbxg8
This is what I have written about him today
http://bit.ly/14vbxg8
Really excellent read, your blog, Paul, with some good insights in it. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
It’s certainly the end of an era, with Jim McGrath retiring. Ironic that he is bowing out when he is so much younger than his predecessor, Sir Peter O’Sullevan, who carried on so much longer.
It’s certainly sad to see someone’s abilities tail off so markedly, although I never particularly liked him and always found his regular hackneyed phrases a bit irksome at times, notably "further back in the field" every few sentences and the "errrs".
Interesting also about Peter Bromley. Meanwhile, the irrepressible Tommo is going from strength to strength. I should think his new book will be an interesting read. His other one certainly was.
Channel 4 have certainly been admirably generous to Jim McGrath over his retirement.
He had a Channel 4 interview from the commentary point at Ascot on the day he retired and, by coincidence, made a last-day debut on Channel 4 when the broadcaster took his course commentaries.
His best commentaries over the years were also shown.Then, today at Doncaster today, there was another interview with him, this time by Simon Holt, with Stewart Machin looking on. They made a presentation to him.
It was actually quite heart warming to see and hear the tribute, especially as until the loss of the BBC racing, Simon and Stewart would have been rival commentators.
I’m sure they were pleased to bury any previous partisan feelings over an ex-BBC colleague.
No doubt the fact that there are some ex-BBC senior staff and presenters on the new Channel 4 production team was a possible factor in the glowing tribute.
Jim got a better send-off than Graham Goode did after all his years of service to Channel 4! Not to mention Tommo, Mike Cattermole and John McCririck after the unpleasantnesses of last year’s change of regime!
Good to see Jim being honoured by Channel 4 though, especially as he was a BBC man for so long.
Channel 4 have certainly been admirably generous to Jim McGrath over his retirement.
He had a Channel 4 interview from the commentary point at Ascot on the day he retired and, by coincidence, made a last-day debut on Channel 4 when the broadcaster took his course commentaries.
His best commentaries over the years were also shown.Then, today at Doncaster today, there was another interview with him, this time by Simon Holt, with Stewart Machin looking on. They made a presentation to him.
It was actually quite heart warming to see and hear the tribute, especially as until the loss of the BBC racing, Simon and Stewart would have been rival commentators.
I’m sure they were pleased to bury any previous partisan feelings over an ex-BBC colleague.
No doubt the fact that there are some ex-BBC senior staff and presenters on the new Channel 4 production team was a possible factor in the glowing tribute.
Jim got a better send-off than Graham Goode did after all his years of service to Channel 4! Not to mention Tommo, Mike Cattermole and John McCririck after the unpleasantnesses of last year’s change of regime!
Good to see Jim being honoured by Channel 4 though, especially as he was a BBC man for so long.
Surely they are all commentators first and don’t have bad feelings towards each other because one did channel 4 and one bbc. They are all race course commentators first and foremost.
Jim McGrath has been a favourite of mine since I was a boy.
At his peak ‘The Croc’ was absolutely measured, bringing excitement to the climax of a race, but without the exaggerated and, quite frankly, OTT nonsense that oftens spoils the sound efforts of Simon Holt and many others.
His sharp, Aussie accent could emphasize the drama unfolding, and he could do so without shrieking and shouting – often the primary sign of a great commentator.
Simon Holt is eagle-eyed and reliable, but his tendency to over-dramatize has been evident in far too many big races, including Frankel’s Guineas success…’Frankel wins. FANTASTIC!! Kauto Star’s third King George…’THREE KINGS’ and, again, Kauto Star’s final Haydock triumph ‘And Kauto Star IS STILL THE KING!!
Too loud, adding nothing to the story except that, well, it’s important enough to shriek about.
Compare that Jim McGrath’s pitch-perfect commentary during the final three furlongs of Sea The Stars’ Arc. Not overly dramatic, but he managed to emhpasize that Sea The Stars was the main character, whilst echoing the physical attributes that defined his career – speed and power. He told the perfect story and summed it up in four simple words ‘Perfection in equine form’.
Surely they are all commentators first and don’t have bad feelings towards each other because one did channel 4 and one bbc. They are all race course commentators first and foremost.
Absolutely agree – they have a difficult job to do and they, more than anyone, appreciate how hard the job is.
They all work together and I’ve never seen any inter-channel rivalry between them.
On the rare occasions when one of them makes a howler the immediate reaction from fellow commentators, regardless who they work for, is sympathetic usually with a "there but the grace of God go I."
Also, in the case of Jim they really do appreciate the huge difference he made when he first arrived in the UK.
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