Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Can't say that I'm that bothered who the commentator is......I watch racing most days on ATR/RUK and there's loads of commentators. Most of the time I don't even know who it is
They're all much of a muchness
They say who's slowly away, they say who's making the running, they go through the field identifying the horses by colour, silks etc then they tell you who's making a move and the finishing order on the line
They all commentate pretty much the same........there is a standard format !
I'm not keen on Des Scahill who does things differently.......he just appears to run through the field in order then when he's got to the one at the back he goes back to the front and does it again............ and again. But obviously he's not going to get the gig
Also not keen on Thommo ...........maybe because he is, or he considers himself to be, a 'big' personality and attempts to 'personalise' the commentary with banging on about 'the jolly' and having his own catchphrases like ......'and here comes the favourite' as the favourite moves from 10th to 8th being driven like his life depended on it and obviously at the end of his tether.
Apart from those two any of the others would do........”
The other commentator on Irish racing (Peter O'Hehir ?) is even more of a nightmare that Dessie. Absolute silence until the off, a run-through of the horses usually omitting half of them, missing entirely any events during the race, even if Ruby falls off he mentions it like he's ready a shopping list, then manic wheezing and screaming for the last furlong.
I thought someone's comment on the last page of the thread re Hayley was a bit unfair. Granted it's early days for her and she needs much more experience before being thrown to the ITV wolves, but she does well in the afternoon sessions with Sir Bob (who can't be the easiest to work with, like a bumbling old grandad trying to use technology) and you get quite a lot of inside stuff from her that the usual pundits / co-presenters either don't know or don't bother with.
I always remember Sue Barker in her early days on Sky, she was worse that useless to start with, but grew with the experience.
Still, much like you swing, I watch ATR and RUK, so it doesn't bother me who's on C4 or ITV and I wouldn't my Tanya Stevenson from my Emma Spencer - though Lydia Hislop on RUK is very good.