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Everyone who enjoys even the loosest connection with racing wishes J T McNamara the very best for a full recovery from the serious injuries he suffered yesterday. This goes without saying. Many of the jockeys this afternoon have expressed their feeling eloquently for JT.
However, I’m slightly uncomfortable with jockeys being cajoled by interviewers to ‘dedicate this win’ to the stricken jockey, as has been requested on a couple of occasions by Lydia Hislop on RUK and Clare Balding on Channel 4 this afternoon.
A rare Cheltenham Festival winner for any connections should be allowed to be met with elation rather than an enforced group sombreness. I’m just getting a hint that the broadcasters have decided that there is a script that needs to be followed here.
Mike
I think the opposite. Alice would bound along to interview the gleeful winning jockey, only to be met with a forced smile and a few sombre tears several times over. It was very apparent that amongst jockeys and trainers etc. JT was very much on their minds.
I can understand it to a certain degree, particularly JP’s jockey/connections. But do agree Mike it’s been overdone. Everyone wishes JT well. It hasn’t exactly felt right today, however I am sure JT himself would want everyone to enjoy themselves.
Value Is Everything
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I agree its been overdone, the jockeys gave their best wishes to the families straight after the races when they were being interviewed because they know for themselves how bad of a situation JTs family is in. it’s not like they’re children where they need to be told/reminded to feel sad – they’re professional sportsmen and one of their friends has been very seriously hurt, they don’t need to be told to be upset.
Everyone who enjoys even the loosest connection with racing wishes J T McNamara the very best for a full recovery from the serious injuries he suffered yesterday. This goes without saying. Many of the jockeys this afternoon have expressed their feeling eloquently for JT.
However, I’m slightly uncomfortable with jockeys being cajoled by interviewers to ‘dedicate this win’ to the stricken jockey, as has been requested on a couple of occasions by Lydia Hislop on RUK and Clare Balding on Channel 4 this afternoon.
A rare Cheltenham Festival winner for any connections should be allowed to be met with elation rather than an enforced group sombreness. I’m just getting a hint that the broadcasters have decided that there is a script that needs to be followed here.
Mike
Mike
Being at Cheltenham I obviously didn’t see any of the "cajoling" you refer to but, as described, it doesn’t sound right.
I would take slight issue with your third paragraph. Not being at Cheltenham it was, perhaps, easy to underestimate the impact JT’s injury has had on jockeys, trainers and those involved in the sport on a daily basis.
I have never seen anything or experienced anything like it before and it isn’t simply a matter of media hyperbole.
A combination of shock of what has happened to a very popular, long standing member of the weighing room, coupled with a realisation of "there but the grace of God go I" plus awareness of the extent of his injury, has really affected them badly.
The riders and connections, especially the Irish (and I include the UK based Irish riders in that group as well), really were in no mood to celebrate – no matter how big the win, Geraghty and AP especially, who have know JT for many years, were particularly in no mood to celebrate their wins, something AP had made clear both on and off the record.
Post race interviews, particularly in the Championship races, are obligatory at the Festival, however I think today – considering the exceptional circumstances – they should have been optional and then restricted to the race only with it being up to the individual if they wanted to raise the issue of JT.
Paul – A fine post.
It’s a sign of the age we live in (twitter / sky news etc) but I often find the need for constant updates and sound bites a bit crude, especially in these circumstances.
No one can doubt the sincerity of the jockeys thoughts and emotions today but I did feel they were put on the spot too much today.
Everything you say is spot on Paul and a sober reminder to all of us of the risks these guys take for our entertainment.
But my point is more oblique than that. Further to the previous examples given, after racing Lydia Hislop interviewed racecourse director Ian Renton and he was told something along the lines of "I’m sure you’ll agree that the day has been overshadowed by the injuries to JT."
Now it’s highly likely that he does, but those are thoughts that are personal to him. However, he now has no choice but to nod his head in agreement and make suitable comments (which was what happened).
Since the death of Princess Diana in 1997, the UK has become a hotbed of ostentatious grief. It’s not about whether you genuinely care anymore, it’s about being
seen
to care. Every roadside must have it’s cache of flowers; every football match it’s minute’s silence.
What happened today is an extension of those cultural mores. Racing people don’t need to be told to display their concern for JT. As Paul said, it was in full evidence today.
I feel that those who bring the drama of Cheltenham on TV or radio really should refrain from being stage managers for a script that doesn’t need to be written.
Mike
Sign of the times as you point out.
Only watched the races on RUK and had other things to do between them but surprised that Lydia Hislop has followed that tack.
If AP and Barry Geraghty had been jumping up and down for joy over their success someone would have posted a thread about the jockeys and presenters not showing enough respect to J T Macnamara as he lay in his hospital bed, you can never get it right these days.
The winning jockeys should not have been put on the spot by Lydia and Clare and left to their own personal thoughts, and JP MacManus was so upset he couldn’t finish the interview.
Everyone watching knew their pain and sympathised and I don’t think anyone, especially JT Macnamara would have denied them their moment to celebrate a fantastic win.
Thoughts are with J T Macnamara at this moment in time and hope that he responds well to treatment and is soon able to return to the sport he loves.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Good post Paul.
To Mike’s point, I think one of Clare Balding’s weaknesses is a tendency to allow one thread or story to dominate and this often results in a loss of balance.
To be fair having watched the RUK replay programme this morning the only peron Lydia Hislop mentioned the subject to first was J P McManus which I regarded as showing empathy.
On all the other occasions in the post race interviews it was the interviewee that raised the subject if it was mentioned.
To be fair having watched the RUK replay programme this morning the only peron Lydia Hislop mentioned the subject to first was J P McManus which I regarded as showing empathy.
On all the other occasions in the post race interviews it was the interviewee that raised the subject if it was mentioned.
And the same at Uttoxeter on Saturday. I saw no agenda by the broadcasters here. When J P McManus was interviewed on Friday it was clear his mind was pre-occupied with the McNamara family, nothing to do with any pressure from the media.
To be fair having watched the RUK replay programme this morning the only peron Lydia Hislop mentioned the subject to first was J P McManus which I regarded as showing empathy.
On all the other occasions in the post race interviews it was the interviewee that raised the subject if it was mentioned.
I noted that zanybody, the likes of Colman Sweeney & Barry Geraghty brought the subject up and Lydia just responded to what they said.
Perfectly reasonable to bring the subject up with Ian Renton imo.Not heard Balding’s interviews regarding the issue but thought how both she and C4 milked AP’s upset about Darlan a few weeks ago was quite distasteful. Someone commented about it at the time on here, can’t remember who.
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