[RichK]

What does the chequered flag mean officially? Is it ‘bypass fence’ or is it just ‘hazzard’?

[RichK]

A very fitting race for me.

A horse trained by a lying cheat, owned by a snot-nosed toff, decided by farcical stewarding in a sport run by lords of the realm who are all in each other’s pockets.

I’m off. Bye.

You won’t be missed. Bye.

[RichK]

Not only that, but the last hurdle lined with people, even when the horses having to bypass the last fence woukd be getting really close to the hurdle.

That really was a total shambles.

[RichK]

They have their own water supplies dont they? Its a **** race anyway regardless of the water situation. Does anybody really think this daft course has enhanced cheltanham?

[RichK]

Yeah unusally poor from Holt there. Didnt notice scotsirish pull up. Think he was half asleep, cant blame him.

[RichK]

Gingertipster is right, Channel 4 have done a superb job of covering Cheltenham and they give the Gold Cup the respect it deserves. If anything Cheltenham feels much more special than it did back in the early 1990’s.

There’s no reason why they can’t do the same for the Grand National. The days of mass viewing events are starting to fade, and if anything the mass audience on BBC1 for the National is harming the race.

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but Clare is presenting the Paralympics for Channel 4 so it’s not impossible she might join. But I agree she wouldn’t fit in well with their presenting team.

[RichK]

Remember when they used to play Odissea Veneziana as the theme to BBC Racing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPANCGJL9vo

Full of class.

[RichK]

A very interesting and thoughtful post Venture to Cognac, thanks.

[RichK]

The coverage today was a total shambles.

The cameras were set at bechers on a wire and the director had no alternative camera angle. We had a dead horse being shot or whatever, and even as the fence has been bypassed, the director had no choice – or chose – to cut to an overhead shot of a dead horse.

I could list a hundred other cocks ups today. How can a broadcaster who thinks that only 9 days of racing or whatever is worth broadcasting be given this job?

A terrible shambles, and anyone who thinks that Parrot and Wiltshire are entertaining needs to be sectioned.

[RichK]

I’m obviously dreaming, or is this a joke thread?

[RichK]

You must have been either the producer or director.

[RichK]

Jessica Ennis.

[RichK]

It was Lee McKenzie.

[RichK]

An excellent move and long overdue.

Tony O’Hehir’s wheezing and mumbling on the most exciting stretch of the course was horrible and I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if the "cost cutting" is just an excuse.

I can’t believe people are complaining about this on the Racing Post comments, Ian Bartlett is an excellent big field commentator and anyone who thinks he’s boring clearly don’t remember that John Hanmer used to do the same job.

There’s only one weak link in the team now, I wonder how much longer he’ll be in the chair?

[RichK]

A fantastic post from Maxilon 5, can’t fault a word of it.

[RichK]

Now this is probably my addled memory playing tricks again, but didn’t Barnbrook Again have a heart murmur?

I can’t remember if that had any effect on him or not – can anyone recall?

[RichK]

I think the grades of racecourses (if they still have them) relate to the funding they get rather than the quality of racing there.

I have an old list on my computer, its ancient and I’ve no idea if its correct, but here goes:

(I’ve just noticed that most of the flat only tracks are missing from this list. bah).

Grade 1

Aintree
Ascot
Ayr
Cheltenham
Doncaster
Haydock
Kempton
Newbury
Newcastle
Newmarket
Sandown

Grade 2

Chepstow
Fontwell
Lingfield – Turf
Newton Abbot
Wetherby
Salisbury
Thirsk

Grade 3

Folkestone
Huntingdon
Leicester
Market Rasen
Nottingham
Plumpton
Stratford
Uttoxeter
Warwick
Wincanton
Windsor
Worcester

Grade 4

Bangor
Carlisle
Cartmel
Exeter
Fakenham
Hereford
Hexham
Kelso
Ludlow
Perth
Sedgefield
Southwell
Taunton
Towcester

[Author]

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