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Horse Racing on Terrestrial TV
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alanrollins
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Dancc:
“To be fair, most of the tips the presenters put up go on to lose. I was shocked in particular when Nick Luck tipped Cue Card to beat Sprinter Sacre on The Morning Line the other morning !

I like Graham myself, but John Francombe is missed. Jim McGrath is probably the best of the lot in terms of the C4 pundits and when he's not on The Morning Line I end up fast-forwarding through most of it.”

It is a bit frustrating when people just dismiss these tips as "they mostly lose". Not that I watch for the tips per se but there is actually a thread in the Betfair forum which shows that if you follow all McGrath's tips you would have turned £6,820 into £10,439 which is some rate of return. Sadly, the others in profit are Francome, Cattermole, and Lesley Graham.

Cunningham has in fairness just landed into profit and the less said about Tanya Stevenson the better, her £9,965 would now be a desperate £7,054.77. The thread also shows that when it comes to tipping Simon Holt is a great commentator. Doubtless he keeps the better ones to himself.

Cue Card was one I did each way, I was surprised Luck tipped it to win as opposed to e/w, but I could see some logic at the price, at least it was over 2m 4f which was his distance.

It was nowhere near as bizarre at Cunningham's tilt at Cheltenham in December when he went with Sanctuaire to beat Sprinter Sacre, then on the same card he felt Grands Crus would stay over 3 miles on a glue pot having being found not to have stayed 2m 5f in better conditions the month before. I would oppose almost anything he suggests even odds on favourites.
Shrewn
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Totally agree with that Alan. He is the finest sports commentator around at the moment for me too. I cannot comprehend how people say "he isn't good."”

I agree Darren, I've been watching racing for about 35 years now, Holt is superb, he has really grown into the role. P.O'S went on too long for me and when Aussie Jim arrived on the scene in the early 90''s he was outstanding. He seemed to go off the boil when the regular racing went from Grandstand, a shame.

I thought C4 did ok with it, didn't have the Cheltenham flow somehow. The old team would have made it work better I feel
casinoman13
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Totally agree with that Alan. He is the finest sports commentator around at the moment for me too. I cannot comprehend how people say "he isn't good."”

Yes I agree he is the best horse racing commentator at the moment although I rate John Hunt highly aswell.
Infact Horse Racing is in a very good position at the moment with excellent commentators and good presenters around if not being used at the moment.
Mike Cattermole and Alistar Down have already been mentioned you could also add Derek Thompson to that list and as far as commentators goes well take your pick you have aswel as the above two Stuart Machin, Ian Bartlett Darren Owen even Dave Smith if he is still around and off course don't forget Mark Johnson who I also think is first class at his sport.
alanrollins
08-04-2013
Agree with all of the above, I also enjoy listening to John Hunt, David Fitzgerald is definitely a name for the future and Malcolm Tomlinson is a very steady and reliable voice too.

My order is probably

Holt
Bartlett
Machin
Hunt
Hoiles
Fitzgerald
Tomlinson
Owen
Johnson

Probably the only race callers I could not do with are Derek Thompson and Matt Chapman.
IanFergus
08-04-2013
I have a great sympathy for all the race callers. To memorise all the colours for all races at a meeting and carry out the detailed commentaries accurately day after day is superb in my opinion.

I would add Jerry Hannon (probable successor to Des Scahill as the Irish #1 course commentator) to the list. I heard him for the first time at Punchestown (which, for health reasons, I am having to miss this year) and I believe he is one to watch.
Shrewn
08-04-2013
Does Lee McKenzie do much these days? I see his name pop up from time to time and he is the course announcer at Cheltenham. It never really worked out for him on Five Live post Peter Bromley
redknickers
08-04-2013
C4 coverage turned out to be not as good as what the beeb did but it was OK

Good that all horses and jockeys returned safe but sad to hear that winning jockey Ryan Mania ended up in hospital last night following a fall at Hexham (the high's and low's of racing

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/hor...at-Hexham.html
fp1967
08-04-2013
It is a personal point of view! He has just never grown on me! This years national was flat Holt added nothing to it. Hunt, Bartlett & Hoiles are my favorites along with Mark Johnson. The commentary on this years national was poor Bartlett was the better of the three! Both Hoiles & Holt were poor though built up no excitement. A lot of people I know have said how flat the race felt!
Darren Lethem
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by alanrollins:
“Agree with all of the above, I also enjoy listening to John Hunt, David Fitzgerald is definitely a name for the future and Malcolm Tomlinson is a very steady and reliable voice too.

My order is probably

Holt
Bartlett
Machin
Hunt
Hoiles
Fitzgerald
Tomlinson
Owen
Johnson

Probably the only race callers I could not do with are Derek Thompson and Matt Chapman.”

Chapman is a nightmare, sees himself as a big star I think. Don't like the man.

Malcolm Tomlinson does my local course Beverley quite a bit, he is a good caller yes. I must admit I find it hard to take to Mark Johnson, sounds like he is trying to copy and American style. John Hunt is superb though.

PS - Has GG retired completely now ?
pakokelso93
08-04-2013
Chapman is very smug all the time.

Thommo as good as he was on ch4 as a presenter, have found him as pretty hopeless as a track commentator.

Originally Posted by redknickers:
“C4 coverage turned out to be not as good as what the beeb did but it was OK

Good that all horses and jockeys returned safe but sad to hear that winning jockey Ryan Mania ended up in hospital last night following a fall at Hexham (the high's and low's of racing

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/hor...at-Hexham.html”

Very sad for Ryan, spoke to him half hour or so before his ride yesterday, from a source today he is chirpy and looking to get home tomorrow
alanrollins
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Chapman is a nightmare, sees himself as a big star I think. Don't like the man.

Malcolm Tomlinson does my local course Beverley quite a bit, he is a good caller yes. I must admit I find it hard to take to Mark Johnson, sounds like he is trying to copy and American style. John Hunt is superb though.

PS - Has GG retired completely now ?”

Johnson is a bit hit and miss, often excellent, painful on occasion too.

I think Graham Goode has packed it in altogether but he was very underrated, his calls of Desert Orchid's King Georges and his memorable 1986 Derby call are my memories of him.
casinoman13
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by alanrollins:
“Johnson is a bit hit and miss, often excellent, painful on occasion too.

I think Graham Goode has packed it in altogether but he was very underrated, his calls of Desert Orchid's King Georges and his memorable 1986 Derby call are my memories of him.”

With oh so much to do!!!! if I remember correctly?
Personally hated that as I was one who was willing Dancing Brave on.

Good commentator at his time but I did prefer R.Gilbert who was always playing second fiddle to Goode and John Penny.
I think he is very occasionally heard nowadays if at all.
Dancc
08-04-2013
Mark Slater is pretty good. They don't use him so much now though. Will never forget his very memorable call at Southwell when the race fell apart. It's on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVsdYS1_yoM
Gerry865
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by fp1967:
“It is a personal point of view! He has just never grown on me! This years national was flat Holt added nothing to it. Hunt, Bartlett & Hoiles are my favorites along with Mark Johnson. The commentary on this years national was poor Bartlett was the better of the three! Both Hoiles & Holt were poor though built up no excitement. A lot of people I know have said how flat the race felt!”

I do agree with you, I feel they should have gone over to the commentators earlier than they did before the race. Perhaps this would have helped?
Alex2606
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Chapman is a nightmare, sees himself as a big star I think. Don't like the man.

Malcolm Tomlinson does my local course Beverley quite a bit, he is a good caller yes. I must admit I find it hard to take to Mark Johnson, sounds like he is trying to copy and American style. John Hunt is superb though.

PS - Has GG retired completely now ?”

GG's final race was a couple of years ago at Uttoxeter

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...e-long-goodbye

I'm seem to remember him popping up on the Cheltenham Festival not long after though being interviewed as he part owned a horse that was running.

Mark Johnson now spends the summer months working at Churchill Downs in America, which has accentuated his style even more
Hayden
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Alex2606:
“GG's final race was a couple of years ago at Uttoxeter

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011...e-long-goodbye

I'm seem to remember him popping up on the Cheltenham Festival not long after though being interviewed as he part owned a horse that was running.

Mark Johnson now spends the summer months working at Churchill Downs in America, which has accentuated his style even more”



Oh dear- what a cringeworthy way to go out
Darren Lethem
08-04-2013
Originally Posted by Hayden:
“Oh dear- what a cringeworthy way to go out ”

Ah that is his home course though so he has probably commentated there a million and one times
RobSmithS
15-07-2013
Channel 4 acquires Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe rights

http://www.sportbusiness.com/tv-spor...riomphe-rights

"Channel 4 acquires Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe rights

Date: 15 JULY 2013
UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 has sealed a multi-year deal to broadcast Europe’s premier flat horse racing event, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, according to the Racing Post website.

The move marks the return of the Longchamps race to British terrestrial television after public-service broadcaster the BBC opted not to air the 2012 edition due to falling ratings and its loss of domestic racing rights from 2013 to 2016.

Channel 4 is now the UK’s sole terrestrial racing broadcaster having acquired the Grand National, Derby and Royal Ascot at the expense of the BBC and an agreement with rights holder France Galop now adds the €4.8m ($6.2m) showpiece to its portfolio.

Having previously shown the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from 1986 to 1994 and again in 2001, Channel 4 is also set to carry several of the major Group One support races from Longchamps on October 6."
andy_d77
15-07-2013
Originally Posted by RobSmithS:
“Channel 4 acquires Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe rights

http://www.sportbusiness.com/tv-spor...riomphe-rights

"Channel 4 acquires Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe rights

Date: 15 JULY 2013
UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 has sealed a multi-year deal to broadcast Europe’s premier flat horse racing event, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, according to the Racing Post website.

The move marks the return of the Longchamps race to British terrestrial television after public-service broadcaster the BBC opted not to air the 2012 edition due to falling ratings and its loss of domestic racing rights from 2013 to 2016.

Channel 4 is now the UK’s sole terrestrial racing broadcaster having acquired the Grand National, Derby and Royal Ascot at the expense of the BBC and an agreement with rights holder France Galop now adds the €4.8m ($6.2m) showpiece to its portfolio.

Having previously shown the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from 1986 to 1994 and again in 2001, Channel 4 is also set to carry several of the major Group One support races from Longchamps on October 6."”

mmmm not shown due to ratings - so goes to a channel where it will get lower ratings - glad horse racing all in ione place now though - wasn't longchamp during Olympics last year?
Armagideon Time
15-07-2013
Originally Posted by andy_d77:
“mmmm not shown due to ratings - so goes to a channel where it will get lower ratings - glad horse racing all in ione place now though - wasn't longchamp during Olympics last year?”

Nope. The Arc meeting at Longchamp is always the first Sunday in October and the Olympics were long gone. As mentioned above, the BBC pulled out as they thought "as we won't be covering racing any more, then why the **** should we cover this?", on top of the poor ratings reason.
Dancc
15-07-2013
It would have looked odd to say the least had horse racing on the Beeb continued with literally only one day of coverage out of a possible 365. Once they dropped or were outbid for everything else of course it became toast.

Personally I've never been a big lover of this race. Indeed, I feel it's probably the most overrated of them all in the entire flat calendar. Recent runnings have been anticlimactic. But it does feature some top horses and jockeys and the prize money is fantastic so it deserves a terrestrial audience.
Neil_Harris
25-07-2013
Excellent evaluation of the first 6 months of the new C4 Racing.

http://vgtips.co.uk/channel-4-racing...gers-and-brix/

http://vgtips.co.uk/channel-4-racing...months-part-2/

http://vgtips.co.uk/channel-4-racing...months-part-3/

http://vgtips.co.uk/chann/

http://vgtips.co.uk/channel-4-racing...months-part-5/

http://vgtips.co.uk/channel-4-racing...months-part-6/
RobSmithS
17-09-2013
(apologies as this isn't quite Terrestial TV but thought it most convenient to post in!)

There has been some developments with Racing UK (now offered together with ATR as "The Racing Pack" to commercial premises excluding betting premises).

http://www.sportbusiness.com/tv-spor...ercial-service

Elsewhere on another thread here on the DS forums a while back a few people were wondering how many residential customers subscribe to Racing UK and that figure is given as 45,000 in this article (and this new deal reported in tv sports markets is for commercial only).

Quote:
“BSkyB to sell Racing UK commercial service

Date: 16 SEPTEMBER 2013
UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB has become the exclusive sales agent for horse racing pay-television channel Racing UK’s commercial television service.

The deal is separate to Racing UK’s residential service on Sky, which enjoys 45,000 subscribers as a stand-alone channel, and it excludes betting premises. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Racing UK airs action from 33 racecourses across the UK including Cheltenham, Aintree, Newmarket and Epsom, with Ascot joining the channel in June 2014.

The new deal will allow licensed customers to feature full coverage of every UK and Republic of Ireland race, at every race course, through a discounted Racing Pack subscription that combines Racing UK and fellow pay-television channel At The Races.

The Racing Pack will provide coverage of approximately 10,500 races in 2014 at an average of around eight hours’ coverage per day from all 58 UK racecourses and 26 Irish tracks.

Customers purchasing the pack when it is made available from October 1 will enjoy access to Racing UK’s Club Day scheme, which provides more than 165 free tickets to over 33 race days every year.”

steveh31
17-09-2013
It doesn't affect most people the residential service will continue to be subscription and the bookmakers continue to use either Turf TV or SIS.

It will be persumably pubs and clubs who are affected by this.

If only Racing UK and ATR could work together instead of seeing each other as rivals things could be a lot better.
Dancc
17-09-2013
45,000 seems a decent number of subscribers for RUK. Higher than I expected.
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