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C4s Grand National commentary team |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,867
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C4s Grand National commentary team
C4s Grand National commentary team should be.
Simon Holt - Start, Chair etc, finish Richard Hoiles or Stuart Machin - fences 1 to 4 and 10 to melling road (twice) Aussie Jim (poached from the beeb) or Mark Johnson - fence 5 to Valentines (twice). Any suggestions. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Borders, Ayr & Glasgow
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Simon Holt, Jim McGrath (aussie) and Ian Bartlett are the best 3 racing comms IMO. so them.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Moira N. Ireland
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This deal doesn't kick in until next year so much too early to be talking about it yet. Enjoy this year's race on BBC first.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
This deal doesn't kick in until next year so much too early to be talking about it yet. Enjoy this year's race on BBC first.
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#5 |
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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I think there is a good chance they'll sign Jim McGrath and use him to call the finish, just to keep the tradition going.
Not sure we'll see Clare Balding as part of the coverage though, as she's an all round BBC sports presenter these days (unless she can come to some arrangement where she could cover racing for Ch.4 and other sports for the Beeb). |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
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Quote:
I think there is a good chance they'll sign Jim McGrath and use him to call the finish, just to keep the tradition going.
Not sure we'll see Clare Balding as part of the coverage though, as she's an all round BBC sports presenter these days (unless she can come to some arrangement where she could cover racing for Ch.4 and other sports for the Beeb). My money would be on Mike Cattermole and Derek Thompson as C4 guys. |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Bexleyheath, SE London
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Quote:
Not sure we'll see Clare Balding as part of the coverage though, as she's an all round BBC sports presenter these days (unless she can come to some arrangement where she could cover racing for Ch.4 and other sports for the Beeb).
Perhaps the real question is whether C4 even need her as they've got a whole host of capable and proven presenters in their racing team already. |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: mid west wales
Posts: 9,620
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Quote:
I think there is a good chance they'll sign Jim McGrath and use him to call the finish, just to keep the tradition going.
Not sure we'll see Clare Balding as part of the coverage though, as she's an all round BBC sports presenter these days (unless she can come to some arrangement where she could cover racing for Ch.4 and other sports for the Beeb). |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,855
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can't see why Ch 4 would want any of the BBC commentators. They do racing better anyway.
Cheltenham worked out OK, did it not, with no BBC in sight. Ch 4 take racing more seriously. The morning line etc. BBC haven't got much idea. Racing used to be above the BBC. They first showed it without any betting. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,780
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Quote:
They first showed it without any betting.
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#11 |
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 158
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Clare Balding is what's known as a "contract freelance" for most of her BBC sports work.
That might sound a contradiction in terms but it's a fairly common occurence in sports media - what it means is she's allowed to do other projects for any broadcasters away from her main sports but has agreed to work for just BBC when she's covering horse racing and rugby league (possibly also applies to her during Wimbledon tennis fortnight now she's among their commentators rota for that event after co-hosting that coverage for many years). Hence all she would have had to do to accept Ch4's Paralympics hosting was to make sure the BBC were ok about any racing or rugby league clashes with the Paralympics - as it turns out, it becomes a very useful way for her to establish herself on Channel 4 ahead of their 2013 terrestrial monopoly of racing. But I'd be very surprised if "Aussie Jim" McGrath is included in Ch4's Aintree team just because he's called the closing stages since the late-90's. He's already among 4 experienced commentators being controversially monitored during the first-half of 2012 for the quality of their racecourse work (Derek Thompson, Darren Owen & Iain MacKenzie being the others) so I can't see him making the Ch4 shortlist - maybe a switch to 5Live's coverage would be his best hope of still working at Aintree (although it would be harsh on John Hunt if Aussie Jim nicked top spot on the radio). With Simon Holt presumably guaranteed the start/Chair/finish role and Richard Hoiles almost sure to be Ch4's 2nd-pick, there's really only 1 commentary place up for grabs. I haven't a clue how Mike Cattermole gets so many high-profile commentaries but he'll probably end up on the shortlist with Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin - although Ian Bartlett's been heard occasionally on Ch4 when they've just taken his racecourse commentary, I doubt that's enough to get him included on the above shortlist. |
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,429
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Quote:
Clare Balding is what's known as a "contract freelance" for most of her BBC sports work.
That might sound a contradiction in terms but it's a fairly common occurence in sports media - what it means is she's allowed to do other projects for any broadcasters away from her main sports but has agreed to work for just BBC when she's covering horse racing and rugby league (possibly also applies to her during Wimbledon tennis fortnight now she's among their commentators rota for that event after co-hosting that coverage for many years). Hence all she would have had to do to accept Ch4's Paralympics hosting was to make sure the BBC were ok about any racing or rugby league clashes with the Paralympics - as it turns out, it becomes a very useful way for her to establish herself on Channel 4 ahead of their 2013 terrestrial monopoly of racing. But I'd be very surprised if "Aussie Jim" McGrath is included in Ch4's Aintree team just because he's called the closing stages since the late-90's. He's already among 4 experienced commentators being controversially monitored during the first-half of 2012 for the quality of their racecourse work (Derek Thompson, Darren Owen & Iain MacKenzie being the others) so I can't see him making the Ch4 shortlist - maybe a switch to 5Live's coverage would be his best hope of still working at Aintree (although it would be harsh on John Hunt if Aussie Jim nicked top spot on the radio). With Simon Holt presumably guaranteed the start/Chair/finish role and Richard Hoiles almost sure to be Ch4's 2nd-pick, there's really only 1 commentary place up for grabs. I haven't a clue how Mike Cattermole gets so many high-profile commentaries but he'll probably end up on the shortlist with Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin - although Ian Bartlett's been heard occasionally on Ch4 when they've just taken his racecourse commentary, I doubt that's enough to get him included on the above shortlist. The same could be true for Royal Ascot, Simon Holt and Richard Hoiles currently do the course commentary and so at least one spot is going to become open, which may be taken by McGrath (a role which I believe he did previously) |
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
Posts: 27,238
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Quote:
Clare Balding is what's known as a "contract freelance" for most of her BBC sports work.
That might sound a contradiction in terms but it's a fairly common occurence in sports media - what it means is she's allowed to do other projects for any broadcasters away from her main sports but has agreed to work for just BBC when she's covering horse racing and rugby league (possibly also applies to her during Wimbledon tennis fortnight now she's among their commentators rota for that event after co-hosting that coverage for many years). Hence all she would have had to do to accept Ch4's Paralympics hosting was to make sure the BBC were ok about any racing or rugby league clashes with the Paralympics - as it turns out, it becomes a very useful way for her to establish herself on Channel 4 ahead of their 2013 terrestrial monopoly of racing. But I'd be very surprised if "Aussie Jim" McGrath is included in Ch4's Aintree team just because he's called the closing stages since the late-90's. He's already among 4 experienced commentators being controversially monitored during the first-half of 2012 for the quality of their racecourse work (Derek Thompson, Darren Owen & Iain MacKenzie being the others) so I can't see him making the Ch4 shortlist - maybe a switch to 5Live's coverage would be his best hope of still working at Aintree (although it would be harsh on John Hunt if Aussie Jim nicked top spot on the radio). With Simon Holt presumably guaranteed the start/Chair/finish role and Richard Hoiles almost sure to be Ch4's 2nd-pick, there's really only 1 commentary place up for grabs. I haven't a clue how Mike Cattermole gets so many high-profile commentaries but he'll probably end up on the shortlist with Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin - although Ian Bartlett's been heard occasionally on Ch4 when they've just taken his racecourse commentary, I doubt that's enough to get him included on the above shortlist. |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Daventry
Posts: 14,895
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Can't see C4 signing any of the BBC commentators to be honest, Aussie Jim is well past his best. Simon Holt will get the closing stages for sure I'd have thought.
Cattermole and Thommo both do a bit of commentating but don't think either of them are much cop either, Cattermole I reckon is likely to get the bit after the canal turn down to the melling road bit though. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 31
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Tony O Hehir has been used previously by the BBC for the National, he could get another chance again next year.
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#16 |
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,211
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Quote:
Perhaps the real question is whether C4 even need her (Clare Balding) as they've got a whole host of capable and proven presenters in their racing team already.
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Borders, Ayr & Glasgow
Posts: 8,046
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Quote:
With Simon Holt presumably guaranteed the start/Chair/finish role and Richard Hoiles almost sure to be Ch4's 2nd-pick, there's really only 1 commentary place up for grabs.
I haven't a clue how Mike Cattermole gets so many high-profile commentaries but he'll probably end up on the shortlist with Mark Johnson and Stewart Machin - although Ian Bartlett's been heard occasionally on Ch4 when they've just taken his racecourse commentary, I doubt that's enough to get him included on the above shortlist. |
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 31,434
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I think she's a freelancer these days; she's already struck one arrangement with C4 as she's going to be part of their Paralympics team later this year.
Perhaps the real question is whether C4 even need her as they've got a whole host of capable and proven presenters in their racing team already. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 1,363
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Clare spreads herself too much already - she's terrible on rugby league. I doubt C4 really needs her.
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 158
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Quote:
What they getting monitored for mate ?
This year it's different with 3 newcomers - John Blance, Gary Capewell & Matt Chapman - being given a few meetings each in the first 6 months while Derek Thompson, Jim McGrath, Iain MacKenzie & Darren Owen are all being "monitored". As you can imagine, this was big news in the Racing Post and racing forums last December - without official confirmation, it seems the aim is to make the rota younger and more chatty with any info for the crowd in between races. To sum up huge amounts of headlines and forum posts, McGrath & MacKenzie look to be in most danger of being past their sell-by dates, Thompson (despite being in his late-50's or early-60's) has been staunchly defended by several racecourses for already doing exactly the chatty style that's seemingly wanted (notably at Newmarket's Friday nights) and no-one has a clue how Owen (mid to late 40's) has ended up in any risk at all ! |
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
Posts: 27,238
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Agreed. I guess Alice Plunkett and Emma Spencer have the most to lose out of the possible addition of Balding to the Channel 4 Racing team. I think it would be a shame if this were to happen. I don't watch that much racing but having followed a lot of Cheltenham last week I really took a shine to Plunkett, she has a very charming manner and works well with Alastair Down. From what I have seen, I much prefer Plunkett to what I've seen of Balding's horse racing work for the BBC.
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Have to disagree
, she's great on the rugby league. Always comes across as enthusiastic and asks great questions of the experts. After years of condescending hosting by the likes of Rider and Inverdale, I'd take Balding every time. |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hull - UK City of Culture
Posts: 27,238
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Quote:
Normally there's a maximum of 20 commentators on the racecourse rota but last year there were only 19 when both Graham Goode and Dave Smith were dropped but only David Fitzgerald was added.
This year it's different with 3 newcomers - John Blance, Gary Capewell & Matt Chapman - being given a few meetings each in the first 6 months while Derek Thompson, Jim McGrath, Iain MacKenzie & Darren Owen are all being "monitored". As you can imagine, this was big news in the Racing Post and racing forums last December - without official confirmation, it seems the aim is to make the rota younger and more chatty with any info for the crowd in between races. To sum up huge amounts of headlines and forum posts, McGrath & MacKenzie look to be in most danger of being past their sell-by dates, Thompson (despite being in his late-50's or early-60's) has been staunchly defended by several racecourses for already doing exactly the chatty style that's seemingly wanted (notably at Newmarket's Friday nights) and no-one has a clue how Owen (mid to late 40's) has ended up in any risk at all ! I like Thommo, he is a real character. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 910
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I had no idea. Has GG retired now ? He only tended to do the midlans courses lately. Smudger Smith is a judge too isnt he, as well as the betting guru on the greyhounds on Sky.
I like Thommo, he is a real character. |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,855
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Agreed. I guess Alice Plunkett and Emma Spencer have the most to lose out of the possible addition of Balding to the Channel 4 Racing team. I think it would be a shame if this were to happen. I don't watch that much racing but having followed a lot of Cheltenham last week I really took a shine to Plunkett, she has a very charming manner and works well with Alastair Down. From what I have seen, I much prefer Plunkett to what I've seen of Balding's horse racing work for the BBC.
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,855
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and nobody's mentioned Francome.
pundit par excellence, |
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