That will be very interesting, must say cant wait, still quite a few gaps to be filled.

I think the commentators announcement is the one im most looking forward to. Will it be Holt, Hunt, Bartlett or Hoiles or even someone completely different?

Or they could mix it up a bit depending on code?

Primary Flat: Hoiles
Secondary Flat: Tomlinson

Primary Jumps: Hunt
Secondary Jumps: Owen

I do think certain callers suit the flat more and vice-versa. Perhaps privately they feel the same.

I really hope Holt is kept on as although I do think Hoiles is very good I think Holt is the Martin Tyler of racing commentary.

Hard to call, they have taken some C4 staff but not others.

Pretty sure they will keep it as it was, that is main commentator for big races etc and a secondary commentator for the other meetings and lesser big races if you see what i mean.

Still John Hunt top of my list and do like Darren Owen i must admit.
Hoiles at times lacks excitement and always seems to go with same kind of voice from start to finish.

Just have a feeling Simon Holt will be passed over, i know many would dissagree but just my thought as would love to see John Hunt take over.

Simon Holt for me all day long. His reading of a race with 5 furlongs to go is second to none plus his turn of phrase is outstanding.

"He's making Voy Por Ustades look ordinary and he's not ordinary." Great line

Holt is the best sports commentator on free-to-air television, but I fear he'll be a victim of circumstances and be passed over (in favour of John Hunt, with either Ian Bartlett or Darren Owen being the No. 2).

As I mentioned in a previous post, anyone who was part of the Highflyer-produced C4 Racing team pre-2013 will more than likely NOT be going to ITV (note that Rishi Persad and Mick Fitzgerald, who came on board from the BBC to join the IMG-produced set-up in 2013 will be going across, but Tanya Stevenson and Tom Lee won't be).

As an aside, if Hunt goes to ITV, then Radio 5 Live must steam in straight away to snap up Holt.

I have to say the more i think about separating the jump and flat commentators the more i like it. It would be something different to the Racing coverage but it really would distinguish it nicely. There may be times the commentators overlap, the National being one such case, but it would be good to do.

C4 used to have separate jumps and flat presenters. If memory serves me right on jumps was Alistar Down (what a presenter!!!) and Alice Plunkett and the flat was Emma Spencer and ???? (was it Cattermole)

Yep quite right that was the case but from as far as i can remember not so for commentators.

Yes Mike Cattermole was presenter as well and a good job he made of it, certainly one of my fav past presenter's and wasn't a bad commentator either.

I fancy ITV to have Catt involved

Would be a good move Darren, reminds sometimes of the young Des Lynam, a hit with the women when presenting Grandstand and Match of the Day.

Catt always seemed to come across controlled in what he did and said, very knowledgeable and very easy to listen to.

Sure i always seemed to hear him commentating at Windsor.

Ive been to Windsor a few times in the last couple of years and every time it has been Cattermole providing the course commentary. He isnt bad at all at it. The question is what role would ITV give him. Would he be a roving reporter and interviewer? Presentation is most likely out with Chamberlain and Cumani having that covered. Maybe he could be a commentator but i somewhat doubt it.

Whilst he is a good commentator I just don't think he is in the same bracket of Holt, Hoiles, Hunt and a few others. But he always comes across as very good and professional and a nice bloke.

Day to day racing fans don't seem to like Catt, get's dogs abuse. I could never understand why, came across as pleasant, and informative and did seem to have an appeal to the more casual racegoer.

Catts always get abuse from dogs.

Sorry couldn't resist!!!

True he is not a bad commentator he is an absolutely terrible one and should have been sacked years ago.

Far too many mistakes on his CV yet continually picks up decent commentary gigs. Not what you know , it's who you know.

The latest from Charles Sale: 'John Hunt, BBC 5 Live’s outstanding horse racing commentator, is expected to accept a lucrative offer to call the racing for ITV when they start covering the sport from the start of 2017.

As well as hosts Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani, the team is likely to include Alice Plunkett, Mick Fitzgerald, Rishi Persad, Ollie Bell, Hayley Turner and Sally Ann Grassick.

Surprisingly, Sir AP McCoy, the biggest name in racing, has yet to commit to a pundit role despite being a close friend of Chamberlin. '

So it looks as if Clare Balding is out of the picture

She was out of the picture the moment they (ITV) announced that Ed Chamberlin would be "the number 1 anchor". Same for Nick Luck as well, to a lesser degree.

They won't http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/n...ole-golden-age

well there is your answer then, can't be more categorical than that from Catt himself

"Some have already been given roles in the new team and some have been politely declined, yours truly among them"

Quite classy from Catt, None of this "well I didn't want it anyway" like many would try and pass off

Would be very interesting to see who else declined the roles. Very well put for Cattermole as you have said. If only more were like that and not intent on speaking out negatively.