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I don’t follow Fallon, or the flat season, too closely but was struggling to understand when at Catterick last Tuesday he turned up for a spare ride in one of the later races, and had no other rides on the card – asked myself how far he’d fallen when I saw that…
I reckon there is considerable jealousy levelled at Thommo due to his well earned ubiquity. And those who are responsible for the jealousy are the lazier pundits and prominent journalists who think the industry owes them a favour. Thommo may have a reputation amongst his Channel 4 colleagues for being tight, but that may be because he is a professional who recognises he is one of the faces of racing and promotes it accordingly without the need to pander to others post-racing over a drink. Wholeheartedly agree will his splendid efforts in that compere role, saw him at Musselburgh on a day of continuous, lashing rain and he never left the paddock, and never stopped entertaining.
During one of his routines on a fine day at Bath or somewhere similar, Robert Cooper for ATR asked Thommo ‘whether he ever ran out of batteries’ and for the first time ever I detected he was niggled by a fellow professional basically saying either tone down or get lost for awhile, Thommo replied along the lines of beautiful course, beautiful women, beautiful racing and we’re getting paid for it. Typical flippant Thommo but the right call. He never retaliates with venom, although difficult to do so with Cooper who I think is equally pleasant.
I did’t used to get Thommo but as the likes of McCririck, Francome and McGrath get older and more cynical, Thommo is an increasingly welcome antidote. What other professional do you see at Yarmouth one day and perhaps Hamilton the next? Puts as much into racing as he takes out I think.
Where and when did Dougie last Commentate?
I was trawling through the ATR replays last night and noted he was at Sedgefield on 26 May.
I think Channel 4 Racing needs McCririck more than McCririck needs Channel 4 Racing. He is at his best when he is shouting at punters in the ring, he was doing a lot of that during the Festival. I like Tommo. He did the MC-ing at Musselburgh on a freezing Sunday February meet and was a true professional all day never retreating to the warmth of the stands, he takes a lot of stick from the likes of McGrath. I think McGrath is a snob and Tommo, albeit he is form-lite, proves himself hardworking on the fringes of the sport not only on the big occasions. You’d never catch McGrath rallying the punters.
Unprofessional in the extreme – if Liam Treadwell hadn’t won the race she wouldn’t have given him the time of day.
I don’t think that would be true particularly as she is supposedly on "texting" terms with him.
Nope, poor defence aaronizneez. I would be able to get his mobile number by logging on to http://www.directoryoftheturf.com and phoning his agent who is listed. Sincerity, as well as professionalism, would be better served if she had spoken to him to apologise rather than texting him.
Unprofessional in the extreme – if Liam Treadwell hadn’t won the race she wouldn’t have given him the time of day.
I am also sick of those who are playing the homosexual card on here, it is absolutely nothing to do with that in most people’s mind.
Balding has annoyed me since the Olympics. She was elevated to the general studio presenting after spending the first week at the equestrian. She is a useless co-presenter, although strangely at home beside Carson, and her faults were too apparent beside Adrian Childs in Beijing who was playing a blinder by the second week. She is pompous and takes herself too seriously. Unless she shows an ability to laugh at herself she should swerve clear of insulting others.
Personal opinion but I wouldn’t be too concerned if I didn’t see Freemantle, Cunningham and Willoughby on a television screen again. I find all three irritating. I could be wrong but I suspect given the choice Lydia would far sooner work with Mellish than the other three. Unlike the other three Mellish appears to realise he is there primarily as a pundit and not for dubious comedic value.
Good point stilvi and I think on balance you are right but I am too long in the tooth as a punter to allow a pundit to do the work for me therefore I prefer a Cunningham/Lydia combo to get me thro the meet rather than Mellish who is great if you are discussing the credentials the evening before over a jar but not so good on the day when all is said and done, Cunningham does the job as adequately with some asides in for the bargain.
Mellish is accomplished as a pundit but he is as decisive as suggested, fair enough Saturday was a busy day for the RUK pairing of Mellish/Luck but when asked by Luck to summarise a Newbury race literally in about 30 seconds, Mellish chose not to plug for one horse rather blustering though vague pointers for about five of the nine contenders, hardly insightful. He is worth listening to though, don’t get me wrong.
Freemantle is unusual looking for a racing expert and that is what is likeable about him, God knows whether he could write as the Observer is too leftie for me! But he knowshis stuff. Eddie and Lydia – the perfect pundit/presenter combo! Although Graeme (Cunningham) and Lydia has also proved very entertaining this year.
Hopefully the Observer’s loss will be RUK’s gain as Eddie Freemantle is one of the best pundits on their team and was insightful during the Cheltenham week alongside Lydia.
Ladies days are one of the most beautiful sights in racing, horses + nice women + good weather, I don’t care what anyone says if you don’t like ladies day you must be a bit gay imo.
Happily married – how gay is a bit gay iyo? Nothing wrong with nice women + good weather + horses. Interestingly horses come before women in your run of desires, don’t know what that says about you.
With the recession continuing and corporate budgets being squeezed, the racecourses will turn more to the Ladies Days and the Hen and Stag markets unfortunately.
We took a Classic Raceday badge at Newcastle’s Eider meeting last month and were disappointed with the tackiness of it all to be honest. I don’t think the racecourse is the place for blokes to be walking about dressed as Scobby-Do or a piano – I see the giggle in certain circumstances but if you pay for a Club Enclosure badge to watch the racing then you don’t expect to share a viewing platform with Batman or a drunken Roulette Wheel. Killjoy or snob I probably am in this case but I don’t care, there is something old fashioned about my fasination with a day at the races and the top attractions like Newcastle, Ayr or Aintree don’t fulfil that so if that’s their bag then I’ll stay away thanks. There are plenty of days racing that appeal to me. Too many tasteless tattoos on the Geordie women for my liking anyhoo!
I am disappointed with what others are saying on another thread about Haydock Park going to the dogs (excuse the pun if you will) as it is always a course I fancied visiting from watching racing there on the box.
There were also continuing problems at Wetherby a week ago, with one trainer on RUK calling the chase course soft down the far side, firm in the straight. Carlisle hasn’t staged a hurdle race all winter despite the switch to all chase cards being described as a temporary measure back in October. Ayr has staged some of the most uncompetitive racing in memory on desperate ground for most of the winter – I just hope they can get the track back in decent condition for thier big day next month.
With Doncaster meetings plundered by the big southern stables, life as a NH trainer in the north must be tough at present.
Roll on Aintree and the Perth Festival …….
Ayr’s cards have been disappointing this season. I have intended to journey to Ayr this season but none of the cards have tempted me to move away from RUK coverage. The Scottish National fixture has lost its momentum of late, last year’s card was poor aside from the feature event and if this year’s offering is as poor I would put the kettle on for Ayr struggling as a NH course. Why is that? Quality of course? Geography? Perth gets the fields and is a delight to visit.
I have to say, I attended Carlisle’s Thursday October meeting which was Chase only and loved it. The more steeplechases on a card the better and if Carlisle’s niche was to remain a Chase only course I wouldn’t complain. Also the posh pies in the cafe to the left of the winner’s enclosure were great.
I think Mark Johnson and Richard Hoiles are far and away the best two commentators we have. I love the periodic excitable nature (the former more than the latter of course), which clearly illustrates they love their job – and they are consistently good whether calling the Grand National or a class 6 round Kempton.
Agreed that Hoiles is awesome. I have to say that Derek Thompson style has its place in a motionless Monday afternoon at Southwell too! He, at least, takes advantage of the crowd sparse midweek events to move around the course to interview some more unlikely contenders such as stable lads/lassies, I think that is commendable, Simon Mapletoft stands in isolation at Wolverhampton in the driving wind giving the viewer bugger all insight other than the arse end of his umbrella IMO!
He gets too excited too far out for my liking – he’s shouting, talking quickly and taking John Sergeant-esque breaths (very annoying) with, sometimes, twelve furlongs or more left.
That said, it’s nice to hear accurate, informative commentary which, by and large, Cheltenham provided this year.
I think his style suits the top fixtures as he does get excited a long way out. If you ever wanted the antithesis of Mark Johnson’s efforts then none better than Graham Goode’s dismal commentary in the two runner event at Wetherby yesterday. For those on a Cheltenham comedown, and looking for a boost, then Goode’s efforts yesterday were well short of the mark. The man had a winner at the festival for God’s sake – cheer up!!!!
May be harsh but I seem to remember Phil Tuck getting Randolph Place
on the ground quite a lot along with a number of other promising
GWR horses of the day.Neal Doughty was Randolphs jockey, the horse was an imposing individual
who was one of the worst jumpers of a fence i have ever seen, his finest
run was in the Coral cup at the Cheltenham festival when he wasn"t beaten far into 3rd by Danny Conners who was getting a stone from "old
gangly Randolph" he did actually beat a Gold cup winner in his career
again over hurdles!I think Phil Tuck piloted Randolph Place. The horse was post-Doughty’s time with GWR. I remember Tuck giving Randolph Place, on about the last occasion in which he raced, three or four very forceful slaps across the neck a few paces before one of the fences down the back at Ayr and the horse tipped up! Shame as he was a good horse at the outset but lost confidence.
It is certainly a tired format. I get the impression that there are some very well informed pundits in the lower ranking seats of the show who deserve more air time.
None of the betting experts do it for me, although Big Mac will be irreplaceable on the show from a betting perspective, long gone are the days when he was hilarious viewing on a Saturday afternoon biting back at those who caught his eye misbehaving in the jungle. His eccentric behaviour got me interested in racing when I was young but his greater involvement in non-racing TV shows has only encouraged my dislike of his style.
Jim McGrath has been on great tipping form of late but seems to be fed-up with everyone on the show except Francome. There used to be great banter between the pundits. I agree with those who have said that they should just stick to the previews and leave the soapboxes in bed.
Should that be the case then I reckon Hoiles and Machin are well placed to take the hot seats along with Cattermole who is the best frontman, unless Lydia Hislop could be encouraged to bring some genuinely informative input to the show. She is the best female racing presenter/pundit by a long, long way and none of the Channel 4 or BBC ladies get anywhere near her in my opinion!
